WALES

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate she has made of her Department's expenditure on  (a) organisation of and  (b) attendance at conferences in each year since 1997.

David Jones: The Wales Office was established in July 1999. Since that time we have not organised any conferences or committed any expenditure to attending conferences.

Departmental Official Cars

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Dudley North of 9 June 2010,  Official Report, column 145W, on departmental official cars, what changes are being made to the allocation of cars for the use of each Minister in her Department.

David Jones: Since taking office we have cancelled the car contracted for my use in London, thereby halving this Department's previous number of ministerial cars in London. We are currently looking at value for money options for the car used by myself and the Secretary of State in Wales.

Employment: Location

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether her Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) undertaken any research on the effect of Welsh Development Agency grants on the movement of jobs from (i) England and (ii) North East Somerset to Wales; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: No.
	The Welsh Development Agency was abolished on 1 April 2006 and its functions were absorbed into the Welsh Assembly Government.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Official Photographs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the present Administration.

Owen Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has spent a total of £204 on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the Government.

Departmental Regulation

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of his Department's regulations are under review; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: Following devolution, much of the regulatory framework in Northern Ireland is now the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is not currently reviewing any regulations within its own area of responsibility.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the expenditure of his Department on  (a) organising and  (b) attending conferences in each year since 1997.

John Penrose: The Department's recorded costs on organising conferences for each financial year can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ 
			 1997-98 230,143 
			 1998-99 79,913 
			 1999-00 51,576 
			 2000-01 68,156 
			 2001-02 41,808 
			 2002-03 49,806 
			 2003-04 69,920 
			 2004-05 79,360 
			 2005-06 170,277 
			 2006-07 231,218 
			 2007-08 158,185 
			 2008-09 92,149 
			 2009-10 54,674 
		
	
	Costs include conference venue hire, hospitality for delegates and fees and travel costs for speakers. The substantial increase in expenditure in 2005-06 and subsequent years was predominantly associated with major conferences arranged with stakeholders following the award of the 2012 Olympics.
	The information requested in part  (b) of the question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Equal Opportunities

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

John Penrose: The total costs on promoting equality and diversity are not held centrally. In each of the last three years, the number of staff working in the Department on diversity and equality as part of their job description and their cost is set out in the following table. Staff costs have been calculated by using the percentage of time staff have spent on equality and diversity:
	
		
			   Total number of staff  Staff costs (£) 
			 2007-08 5 57,869 
			 2008-09 5 58,796 
			 2009-10 4 35,400

Digital Switchover Help Scheme: ITV

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much funding his Department has allocated to each ITV region under the Digital Switchover Help Scheme to date.

Jeremy Hunt: A total of £603 million was ring-fenced from the BBC licence fee to fund the Digital Switchover Help Scheme. The breakdown of the £603 million by ITV region is set out in the table. The Channel Islands was not included in the allocations outlined in the table because the original intention was for them to switch in 2013, which is outside the current licence fee settlement. The Channel Islands Switchover date was brought forward but it was decided that there was sufficient money available within the £603 million to meet the cost.
	
		
			  Breakdown of the Help Scheme cost by ITV region 
			  ITV region  Cost (£) 
			 Admin start-up 25,000,000 
			 Whitehaven (exceptional start-up) 300,000 
			 Whitehaven 664,627 
			 Border (excluding Isle of Man and Whitehaven) 5,911,541 
			 Isle of Man 452,242 
			 West Country 19,144,986 
			 Wales 34,432,539 
			 Granada 68,879,287 
			 West 14,943,954 
			 STV North 11,010,670 
			 STV Central 38,707,095 
			 Yorkshire 50,941,241 
			 Anglia 43,670,485 
			 Central 83,879,506 
			 Meridian 51,250,945 
			 London 75,416,580 
			 Tyne Tees 28,882,333 
			 Ulster 21,039,653 
			 Aftercare(1) 28,380,595 
			 Total 602,908,280 
			 (1 )Aftercare is the money set aside to provide ongoing assistance to eligible people up to one year after the region has switched.

Listed Buildings

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many listed buildings have been demolished in the last 12 months.

John Penrose: The Department does not hold this information.

Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he plans to renew the listed places of worship grant scheme on its expiry in 2011.

Edward Vaizey: The Listed Places of Worship (LPW) scheme, which makes grants equivalent to the VAT incurred in making repairs to listed buildings in use as places of worship, is expected to make grants of around £15 million UK-wide in 2010-11. I acknowledge the scheme's significant role in helping to keep our listed ecclesiastical buildings in a good state of repair. A decision on the scheme's future beyond the end of 2010-11 can be made only as part of the 2010 spending review, and will be publicised as soon as is possible.

National Lottery: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much each lottery funding distributor has allocated to projects located in Bassetlaw in each of the last four years.

John Penrose: The amounts of lottery funding distributed in the constituency of Bassetlaw by the various lottery distributors in the last four financial years are shown in the table:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Bassetlaw  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  Total 
			 Arts Council England 137,263 13,716 19,367 78,400 248,746 
			 Sport England 0 0 248,835 9,507 258,342 
			 Big Lottery Fund(1) 535,198 1,394,783 105,453 165,632 2,201,066 
			 Heritage Lottery Fund 15,300 0 2,202,800 22,700 2,240,800 
			 Total 687,761 1,408,499 2,576,455 276,239 4,948,954 
			 (1) These figures and those quoted for the Awards for All joint scheme are supplied by the Big Lottery Fund. 
		
	
	In addition, the Bassetlaw constituency benefited during financial years 2006-07 to 2009-10 inclusive, from grants of £311,581 made under the Awards for All (England) scheme, which was delivered by the Big Lottery Fund prior to April 2009 and funded by Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England. Since April 2009 Awards for All has been delivered and solely by the Big Lottery Fund.
	The statistics for Arts Council England, Sport England and the Heritage Lottery Fund come from the Department's lottery grants database. The database is searchable at:
	www.lottery.culture.gov.uk
	and uses information on lottery grants supplied by the lottery distributors.

Olympic Games 2012: Business

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to inform businesses of the opportunities available in supplying products and services to the London 2012 Olympics.

Hugh Robertson: The Government and its partners are absolutely committed to making the tens of thousands of direct and supply chain contract opportunities generated by the games accessible to a diverse range of businesses across the UK.
	The London 2012 Business Network is helping businesses across the UK to access games-related opportunities and the support they need to compete for them through CompeteFor, the groundbreaking electronic brokerage service for buyers and suppliers in London 2012's supply chains. Over 6,500 contracts have been opened up through CompeteFor to date. CompeteFor is directly linked to business support services, including Business Link in the English regions and its equivalents in the devolved Administrations. Over 45,000 businesses have received support as a result of registering on CompeteFor to date, helping to leave a legacy of fitter businesses.
	This has been accompanied by an extensive programme of business engagement. Through a series of events across the UK, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has spoken to over 10,000 businesses, informing them of the opportunities and how to get involved, including a two-day visit to the east midlands by the ODA chairman in April this year. The regions and devolved Administrations have held over 400 games-themed events over last year, informing business about support services that can help them 'get fit' to compete for games-related and other contracts.

Olympic Games 2012: East Midlands

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many businesses based in the east midlands have been awarded contracts for work on the London 2012 Olympics site construction projects.

Hugh Robertson: To date, 41 business registered in the east midlands region have been awarded contracts directly supplying the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), including one business based in the Erewash constituency.
	Many more businesses in the region are winning contracts in the supply chains of the ODA's contractors. For example, a business based in Derbyshire won a significant contract to supply concrete parapets and deck planks to more than 10 new bridges in the Olympic Park; and a company from Thurmaston won a contract to supply roof cladding for the Aquatics Centre. More information is available in the business section of the London 2012 website under the heading ODA Suppliers, where you will find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
	http://www.london2012.com/business
	6,275 companies from the region have registered on CompeteFor, the electronic brokerage service enabling businesses to compete for direct and supply chain Olympic-related opportunities and business support. More than 6,500 contracts have been opened up through CompeteFor to date.
	In January this year the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games began in earnest its procurement for everything it needs to stage a successful Games, which will generate many more opportunities for businesses across a range of sectors.

Olympic Games 2012: Transport

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what arrangements are being made to transport by road participants and others in the period of the London 2012 Olympics; how many volunteer drivers will be used; what training and qualifications they will be required to have; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will put in place an Olympic Route Network (ORN) which will enable athletes, officials and media working at the games to get to their events on time, although many will also want to use the public transport system. A consultation on the proposed ORN interventions will begin in late summer 2010. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic games (LOCOG) will run a fleet of buses and coaches to transport athletes to their events. As a commercial partner for the games, BMW will also provide around 4,000 vehicles to transport athletes, officials, media and others working at the games.
	LOCOG's London 2012 volunteer programme will be launched this summer, and it is working now on the numbers of volunteers required for each of the roles. Drivers will need to hold a valid driving licence and meet the requirements set by insurance and vehicle hire agreements. All volunteers will be trained, with drivers receiving training specific to their role and the venue or venues they will be working at. This will include, among other things, route training, fuel efficient driving and customer service.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to respond to the Committee on Climate Change's advice on the 2050 carbon dioxide emissions target for aviation.

Theresa Villiers: We are committed to reducing emissions from transport and to ensuring we have the right framework in place for aviation to contribute to the UK's climate stabilisation goals. We will consider the detail of policy and announce our conclusions on the best way to achieve our aims in due course.

Bus Lanes

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department provides to local transport authorities on the provision of bus lanes; whether that guidance covers the minimum length of bus lanes; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport provides advice on bus priority measures, including bus lanes, in Local Transport Note 1/97: Keeping Buses Moving. Advice on the use of the appropriate traffic signs and road markings is given in Chapters 3 and 5 of the Traffic Signs Manual. These documents are available on the Department's website. There is no minimum length requirement for a bus lane.

Departmental Lost Property

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from the Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Norman Baker: The figure provided here is for all items recorded as lost or stolen in the last 12 months and is for the entire Department for Transport including its agencies and shared service centre. The figures provided do not include thefts where records are not available centrally or such thefts that were not reported. While some of this information may exist in records held locally within the central Department and the agencies it can be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
	The property recorded as lost and stolen in the last 12 months is as follows, and where we have the estimated replacement costs, this is shown alongside.
	
		
			  Item  Lost  Stolen  Total estimate cost of replacement (£) 
			 BlackBerrys 17 8 5,875 
			 Laptops  22 22,902 
			 USB iron key 3 1 220 
			 Encryption tokens 9 1 300 
			 BlackBerry chargers 3 - 36 
			 PC  2 1,600 
			 Mobile phones 28 4 (1)- 
			 Dial fobs 3 - (1)- 
			 Other IT equipment 7 5 (1)- 
			 Sat-nav 1 - 80 
			 ARVL VED licences 20 - 0 
			 Personal items (such as jewellery and cash) 38 7 (1)- 
			 Non personal items 10 4 1- 
			 (1) Unavailable.

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.

Michael Penning: As was the case under previous governments, all civil servants and special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the major projects previously earmarked for £434.7 million capital grant that will now be subject to the removal of ring-fencing in 2010-11.

Norman Baker: holding answer 17 June 2010
	The local authority major projects for which the Department for Transport will be paying capital grant in 2010-11 are listed, with the grant recipient body shown. We will discuss with the relevant local authorities the grant arrangements for major projects in 2010-11.
	A1073 Spalding to Eye Improvement Scheme (Lincolnshire)
	A13/A130 Sadlers Farm Junction Improvements (Essex)
	A34 Alderley Edge & Nether Alderley Bypass (Cheshire East)
	A386 Northern Corridor Major Public Transport Scheme (Plymouth)
	A41 Expressway/A4031 All Saints Way Junction Improvement (Sandwell)
	A4123/A461 Burnt Tree Junction (Dudley)
	A638 Quality Bus Corridor (Doncaster)
	A65 Quality Bus Initiative (Leeds)
	Baldock Bypass (Hertfordshire)
	Birmingham International Airport/National Exhibition Centre
	Integrated Transport Access scheme (Solihull)
	Birmingham Gateway (New Street Station) (Birmingham)
	Blackpool And Fleetwood Tramway Upgrade (Blackpool)
	Bridlington Integrated Transport Plan (East Riding)
	Brierley Hill Sustainable Access Network (Dudley)
	Connecting Derby (Derby)
	Cudworth and West Green Bypass (Barnsley)
	East Kent Access Phase 2 (Kent)
	Edge Lane Eastern Approaches (Liverpool)
	Greater Bristol Bus Network (South Gloucestershire)
	Greater Manchester Highway Retaining Walls Maintenance Scheme (Stockport)
	Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control (GMITA)
	Hall Lane Strategic Gateway (Liverpool)
	Hemsworth to A1 Link Road (Wakefield)
	Kirklees Bridge Strengthening and Maintenance (Kirklees)
	Leeds Inner Ring Road Stage 7 (Leeds)
	Luton Dunstable Busway (Luton)
	M4 Junction 11 and Mereoak Junction (Reading)
	Manchester Metrolink Ashton and East Didsbury extensions (GMITA)
	Manchester Metrolink Phase 3a (GMITA)
	Metro Ticketing And Gating (Nexus)
	Nuneaton Development Project (Warwickshire)
	Owen Street Level Crossing Relief Road (Sandwell)
	Poole Bridge Regeneration Initiative (Poole)
	Selly Oak New Road (Birmingham)
	Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road (Kent)
	Taunton Third Way (Somerset)
	Tees Valley Bus Network Improvements (Middlesbrough)
	Walsall Town Centre Transport Package (Walsall)
	West Midlands Red Routes Package 1 (Wolverhampton)
	West Midlands Urban Traffic Control (Wolverhampton)
	Weymouth 2012 Package (Dorset)
	Weymouth Relief Road (Dorset)
	Wolverhampton Town Centre Access and Interchange (Wolverhampton).

Departmental Travel

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last travelled on public transport in an official capacity.

Philip Hammond: holding answer 5 July 2010
	I last travelled on public transport, in an official capacity, today.

Level Crossings: Bassetlaw

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the safety of level crossings in Bassetlaw constituency.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport does not make assessments of safety at level crossings. However, the Office of Rail Regulation ensures, through the level crossing order-making process and routine monitoring of Network Rail's management of safety, that the appropriate protective equipment is in place to control risks at public road crossings. Network Rail also undertakes risk assessments of every level crossing as part of its safety management processes.
	The Office of Rail Regulation and the rail industry continue to work to improve safety at level crossings by addressing the root causes of accidents. It should be noted that an estimated 95% of all level crossing accidents are caused by misuse by the user.

Motorcycles: Driving Tests

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average waiting time to take module 1 of the motorcycle test was in  (a) Wales,  (b) England and  (c) Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available.

Michael Penning: At 21 June 2010, the average waiting time for module 1 motorcycle tests was  (a) nine weeks in Wales,  (b) three weeks in England and  (c) two weeks in Scotland.

Passenger Focus

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to retain Passenger Focus as an independent representative of passenger interests.

Theresa Villiers: The Queen's Speech announced the Government's intention to introduce a Public Bodies (Reform) Bill. As part of the preparation for this Bill, the Department for Transport will be reviewing all of the public bodies it sponsors.

Retford Railway Station: Parking

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received on the adequacy of car parking capacity at Retford rail station.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport has received no representations on the adequacy of car parking capacity at Retford station.

Shipping: Radioactive Materials

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has received from  (a) International Nuclear Services (INS) and  (b) his Dutch counterpart on 28 canisters of vitrified high level radioactive waste from Sellafield being found on arrival on the INS nuclear transport ship Atlantic Osprey in Vlissingen in March to be out of position within the holding channels of the transport flask; and if he will commission an investigation into the safety of transport of spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste in UK coastal waters.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport (DFT) was informed prior to the ship's departure that the canisters had been placed in incorrect locations within the transport flask. DFT inspectors prevented the ship's sailing until the consignor and carrier had satisfied them that safety had not been compromised in any way and that the error in loading the flask did not affect its safety functions.
	Sellafield Ltd are implementing corrective actions to prevent a reoccurrence which is being closely monitored by DFT inspectors. Until these corrective measures are in place there will be no further shipments of this package design.
	The Dutch Competent Authority for the transport of radioactive material contacted the DFT for confirmation that the ship used was appropriate for this shipment.
	The transport of radioactive material, including spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste, is governed by the stringent internationally-agreed standards recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an agency appointed by the United Nations to oversee all aspects of the peaceful uses of atomic energy worldwide. During the period of over 45 years that the IAEA regulations have been in existence, there has been no instance of death or serious injury to persons, nor significant damage to the environment, from radiological effects caused during the transport of radioactive material worldwide by all modes of transport when properly packaged and transported in conformity with these regulations.
	The sea transport of large quantities of radioactivity (such as spent nuclear fuel and high level waste) are carried out on ships that have been certified to meet the requirements of the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-level Radioactive Wastes on board Ships (INF Code) produced by the International Maritime Organisation as appropriate to the quantities of material transported.

Shipping: Radioactive Materials

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  which organisation has lead responsibility for overseeing the implementation of contingency plans covering nuclear transport ships in UK territorial waters that run into difficulties;
	(2)  what specific risk assessment matrices for incidents involving radioactive cargoes have been developed by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency;
	(3)  what expertise is available to the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency to draw up contingency plans covering nuclear transport ships in UK territorial waters which run into difficulties at sea;
	(4)  what emergency planning exercises involving  (a) UK ports and  (b) coastal local authorities with scenarios involving ships with radioactive materials cargoes that find themselves in distress in UK territorial waters needing emergency port facilities have taken place in the last 10 years;
	(5)  what restrictions are placed on ships carrying radioactive cargoes in the English Channel in respect of the distance they must remain from shore; and what notification is given to local authorities on the English south coast that ships carrying radioactive materials are sailing through the English Channel;
	(6)  what expertise is available to the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency in  (a) counter pollution and  (b) salvage operations in cases of a ship carrying radioactive cargo in UK territorial waters in which the cargo has to be salvaged after an accident or operational problems.

Michael Penning: Radioactive material when transported by sea must be packaged and stowed in accordance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code). Where certain types of radioactive materials (such as spent nuclear fuel and high level waste) are carried the ships must be certified to meet the requirements of the International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-level Radioactive Wastes on board Ships (INF Code) produced by the International Maritime Organisation as appropriate to the quantities of material transported. These regulations aside there are no specific restrictions or requirements placed on the sea transport of radioactive materials beyond the general requirements applicable to all ships and cargoes.
	The responsibility for producing emergency plans for dealing with incidents on board ships lies with the organisations operating them. In the case of shipments of nuclear material on Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority ships these are produced and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the IMDG and INF Codes. Their Shipboard Marine Emergency Plans are endorsed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).
	Emergency exercises involving these vessels are undertaken in accordance with the above codes and the International Atomic Energy Agency Safety Guide on Planning and Preparing for Emergency Response to Transport Accidents Involving Radioactive Material.
	The MCA undertakes a National Contingency Plan (NCP) exercise on an annual basis. The programme of exercises involves both UK ports and local coastal authorities and each scenario is designed to cover a range of possible shipboard maritime incidents including dangerous cargoes. Although an incident with a ship carrying a nuclear cargo has not been specifically exercised, the response principles will remain the same. In the case of a nuclear incident technical support will be provided by a designated contact for the ship owner at International Nuclear Services (INS).
	The MCA UK Counter Pollution and Salvage Response Team has a tiered callout procedure to any maritime incident. This applies the generic response principles found in the NCP for marine pollution from shipping and offshore installations. Within that team, the MCA duty Counter Pollution and Salvage Officer (CPSO) provides an initial assessment and incident response, alerting if necessary the Secretary of State's Representative for Salvage (SOSREP).
	SOSREP and those in the MCA responsible for emergency response have demonstrated a high degree of expertise in a wide range of salvage and counter-pollution operations.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Subsidies

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much public subsidy was paid to farmers in each constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Paice: The Rural Payments Agency does not explicitly record information on payments to farmers on a constituency basis and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Further information on recipients of CAP subsidy payments may be found at:
	http://www.cap-payments.defra.gov.uk/
	This website includes details of all CAP scheme payments, including the single payment scheme (SPS), made to beneficiaries during the years 16 October 2007 to 15 October 2008 and 16 October 2008 to 15 October 2009.

Departmental Water Charges

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2010,  Official Report, column 29W, on departmental water charges, what the reason is for the variation in water charges paid in each year; for what reasons water charges have been paid on a dormant site; and whether there have been changes to water metering  (a) methods and  (b) equipment at the site in the last three years.

Richard Benyon: The charges levied for the water supply to the site relate to the consumption and the standard charge for the provision of supply based on meter size, levied pro rata over the year.
	DEFRA is obliged, through an agreement originally made by the Ministry of Defence to retain a water supply as it also supplies a third party which borders the site.
	In August 2009, Scottish Water downsized the size of the incoming pipe which has significantly reduced the monthly standard charges.

Fisheries

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to support the fishing industry; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the EU's instrument for the management of fisheries and aquaculture. We share the European Commission's vision for a healthy marine ecosystem that supports sustainable, profitable fisheries. Any reform should devolve fisheries management, away from current centralised control over detailed regulations, and enable fishermen to better plan for their businesses for the longer term. I am a firm supporter of genuine reform and convinced that we must grasp this opportunity in order to secure the prosperity and viability of our fishing industries in the medium term.
	The Sustainable Access to Inshore Fisheries (SAIF) project is looking particularly at reform of inshore fisheries management within England aiming to move the English inshore fishing fleet towards a more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future. The project aims to consult on proposals later this year.
	Support is also available from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) which is worth over £100 million in the UK. The EFF, which runs until 2013, provides financial assistance to help implement the latest reforms to the CFP and to help the fleets of member states move towards a more sustainable future.

Incinerators

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effects of incinerators on the health of nearby residents.

Richard Benyon: The Health Protection Agency published a report of its review of the latest scientific evidence on the health effects of modern municipal waste incinerators in September 2009. The report concludes that while it is not possible to rule adverse health effects out completely, any potential damage from modern, well run and regulated incinerators is likely to be so small that it would be undetectable.

Incinerators

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effects of incinerators on nearby wildlife populations.

Richard Benyon: When determining applications for environmental permits for incinerators the Environment Agency considers the effects of emissions on nearby European Habitats Directive sites and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, having regard to the critical levels and critical loads for air pollutants relevant to the sites. In doing so it takes advice from Natural England or the Countryside Council for Wales as appropriate.
	Details of the impacts of air pollutants on the natural environment, including information on critical loads, can be found on the Government-funded Air Pollution Information System website:
	www.apis.ac.uk

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in the Government Equalities Office are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) holds an account with the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) for the provision of a pool car and also for a standard taxi service.
	 (a) Civil servants
	(i) No staff are allowed a car with a dedicated driver.
	(ii) GEO staff are able to use the pool car in exceptional circumstances when this is related to ministerial activity (for example going to the airport to meet the Minister for essential business).
	(iii) The standard taxi service has been used by staff very occasionally. This service has been used for short journeys where heavy goods need to be transported or where a member of staff has been taken ill in the office and transported to their home address.
	 (b) Special advis e rs
	Special advisers are not entitled to any of the car or taxi services.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many of the Government Equalities Office's contracts with its suppliers are under review as a result of the recently announced reductions in public expenditure; and what the monetary value is of all such contracts which are under review.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office, in line with Office of Government Commerce policy, uses contracts and frameworks negotiated by other Government Departments. Any review of these contracts with suppliers will be conducted by those Departments.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many officials in the Government Equalities Office are working on renegotiating contracts for the supply of goods and services to the Office as a result of recently announced reductions in public spending; what savings are expected to accrue to the Office from such renegotiations; how much expenditure the Office will incur on such renegotiations; and when such renegotiations will be completed.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office, in line with Office of Government Commerce policy, uses contracts and frameworks negotiated by other Government Departments. Any renegotiations of these contracts will be conducted by those Departments.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.

David Mundell: As was the case under previous Governments, all civil servants and special advisers may use an official car or taxi in properly defined circumstances.

Departmental Official Photographs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the present administration.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has incurred no costs on official photographs since the formation of the Government.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which private security companies his Department has contracts in Afghanistan.

Nick Harvey: None.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received on alleged human rights abuses involving private military and security companies in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: No complaints or reports of human rights abuses have been received in connection to the activities of private security companies contracted by the Ministry of Defence in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many sorties the Nimrod MR.2 has flown in Afghanistan in each year since 2001;
	(2)  how many sorties the Nimrod MR.2 flew in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Liam Fox: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ammunition

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the suitability of the M855A1 enhanced performance rounds for use with the various SA-80 variants.

Nick Harvey: While we have no plans to assess the M855A1 for use with SA-80 variants, we are conducting a research and development programme on enhanced performance rounds for future weapons system. This includes the consideration of rounds with similar design characteristics to the M855A1.

Armed Conflict: Casualties

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what process is followed for the nomination and preparation of battle casualty replacements.

Liam Fox: holding answer 6 July 2010
	The requirement for battle casualty replacements (BCRs) is identified by the Permanent Joint Headquarters. The processes for generating BCRs, once this requirement has been confirmed, differ between the three single Services. For Army and Royal Marine units BCRs are drawn from a nominated cohort based in the Unit's rear party at the home location. This cohort will have been selected and trained at the same time as the deploying Unit and will be up to date on their core military skills. The exceptions to this are for some pinch point trades, where personnel are usually pulled forward from the next Brigade in line to deploy; and senior officer replacements, which are generated by the relevant headquarters.
	For the Royal Air Force, BCRs for formed units are drawn from the rear party at the home location. Other replacements are generated by Headquarters Air Command. If the replacement is required immediately and the gap is affecting operational effectiveness, a waiver to deploy without completing the required pre-deployment courses can be given by theatre. This has not been necessary to date.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to provide residential accommodation for injured armed service personnel with long-term care needs; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a particular responsibility to help seriously injured and disabled service personnel, and works closely with service charities in discharging this responsibility. One of the most important requirements of seriously injured service personnel is accommodation adapted to meet their specific personal circumstances, and the MOD provides some 1,300 adapted Service Families Accommodation (SFA) which includes over 2,000 specific adaptations (such as a stair-lift or walk-in shower) for either service personnel or their dependants. Personnel will continue to receive medical treatment from the Defence Medical Services for as long as they remain in the armed forces, and ongoing welfare support is available from the chain of command; through the Army Welfare Service; and from service charities.
	For service personnel who are medically discharged as a result of their injuries, and thus lose their entitlement to service accommodation, MOD welfare staff will assist as necessary in liaising with local authorities regarding provision of suitably-adapted local authority or private housing. Further, the Service Personnel Command Paper in 2008 stated that MOD would assist service personnel who wished to purchase their adapted SFA. Service personnel injured in service now have their lump sum compensation payments disregarded for purposes of the capital means test for the affordable homes schemes in England and Wales and can have them disregarded in Scotland.
	This will help ensure that the most seriously injured can benefit from those schemes to get on to the housing ladder.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to improve the standard of armed forces accommodation.

Andrew Robathan: We will look at whether there is scope to refurbish armed forces' accommodation from efficiencies within the Department.

Defence

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the full terms of reference of the Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Oliver Letwin: I have been asked to reply.
	Work has commenced on the Strategic Defence and Security Review announced in the Queen's Speech on the 25 May 2010. The review will outline the Government's approach to tackling the broad range of national security risks and will ensure that we have the right balance of resources to meet our commitments. Recent speeches by the Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and Minister for Security at the Home Office provide greater detail on the scope. We expect to publish the outcomes of the review in the autumn.

Departmental Buildings

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many separate buildings his Department occupies in  (a) London and  (b) elsewhere in the UK.

Andrew Robathan: Built assets can vary in nature between working, living and technical structures, and other installations of various types. While the majority of these assets are separate buildings, an exact breakdown can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Our Defence Estate Development Plan and property database identifies over 500 sites in the UK, comprising over 64,000 separate built assets. Included within this figure are over 1,100 built assets on 20 sites in the Greater London area.
	The London buildings include three office buildings and this number will reduce to one by 2013.
	In addition, there are 41,000 Service family homes in England and Wales that are rented from Annington Homes Ltd, of which 788 are located in the London boroughs. The Department currently rents 1,245 substitute single service living accommodation properties and 41 substitute service family accommodation properties in the inner London boroughs.

Departmental Manpower

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff worked in his Department's ministerial support office on  (a) 1 May 2010 and  (b) 1 July 2010.

Liam Fox: There are seven members of staff in the ministerial support unit. This number has not changed since 1 May 2010.

Departmental Official Photographs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the present administration.

Andrew Robathan: All official portrait photographs of the new Defence Ministers were taken by Ministry of Defence (MOD) photographers. These images were used to feature new Ministers on internal and external online communications. No additional costs were incurred in producing or distributing these digital images. Hard copy photographs were produced for display boards in MOD's main building using our in-house reprographics and graphics section. The costs of materials involved in producing these hard copy photographs was £72.

Met Office: Private Sector

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have discussions with representatives of private sector businesses on the future of the Met Office.

Andrew Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence has not met and has no current plans to meet representatives from the private weather sector to discuss the future of the Met Office.

Piracy

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Royal Navy's role is in tackling piracy; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The Royal Navy plays a leading role in international coalition counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. This includes the regular provision of naval assets to operations that seek to deter and disrupt pirate activity while reassuring the shipping industry by supporting freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the region.
	The Royal Navy can take robust action to come to the aid of a victim vessel under attack by pirates in international waters cognisant of the potential threat to the lives of innocents on board.
	It is however recognised that military intervention alone cannot solve piracy, when the root cause is instability and poor governance in Somalia. Royal Navy vessels continue to build relationships with key regional stakeholders, while encouraging capacity building and improving the flow of information.

Piracy

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has contributed to the international force tasked with reducing piracy around the coast of Somalia in each of the last three years.

Nick Harvey: Since 2002 the Royal Navy has been conducting maritime security operations in the Gulf region, including around the coast of Somalia, as part of a US-led coalition-the Combined Maritime Forces (Combined Task Force 151). Following a sharp increase in piracy levels in 2008, a separate task force was created in January 2009 to focus on the deterrence of piracy in partnership with other counter piracy initiatives. The UK provides the Deputy Commander to the operation, based within the UK Maritime Component Command in Bahrain, and periodically allocates a frigate and tanker as operational priorities dictate.
	In December 2008, the EU established operation ATALANTA to protect World Food Programme and other vulnerable shipping transiting through the Gulf of Aden. The UK has provided the Operation Commander and Operation Headquarters at Northwood since its inception and will continue to do so until the end of the mandate, which has recently been extended to December 2012.
	The UK also provided a frigate for the first three months of the operation and will provide a warship for a period in 2011.
	In July 2009, NATO set up a complementary operation, Ocean Shield, which is primarily focused on deterring and disrupting pirate activity. To date, the UK has provided a frigate for a large part of this operation, including taking command between June to November 2009 and March to July 2010. The UK also provides the NATO Maritime Component Command at Northwood.
	Finally, the UK provides support on an ad hoc basis to all three counter piracy operations as military assets transit through the region. This has included warships, support vessels, and the enduring delivery of shipping advice and reassurance to the merchant community through the UK Maritime Trade Organisation.

Submarines

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines were detected during Anti-submarine Warfare Exercise Noble Manta 2010 by maritime patrol aircraft type from each participating NATO nation.

Nick Harvey: During Exercise Noble Manta 2010, UK participants flew 12 sorties and detected submarines on numerous occasions. Details cannot be released as such disclosure could compromise future UK anti submarine warfare capabilities. It would be inappropriate to comment on the other participating nations' activities.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will withdraw the reservation made by his Department to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 5 July 2010
	There are no plans to withdraw the reservation made by the Ministry of Defence to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The continuing need for the armed forces' exemption was confirmed when Parliament considered the Equality Act 2010 and I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 14 June 2010,  Official Report, column 251W.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Public Expenditure

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much was spent on  (a) refreshments and  (b) furnishings in his private office in each year from 2005 to 2010.

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change was formed on 3 October 2008.
	Information on how much was spent on refreshments is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	The cost of furnishing the newly created Ministerial Private Offices in 2009 was £21,596.22. A further £395.48 has been spent on furnishings in 2010.
	All expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Fuel Poverty

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has made a recent assessment of the level of fuel poverty among cancer patients.

Gregory Barker: The detailed information as to how many people with a cancer diagnosis are living in fuel poverty is not available. People with a cancer diagnosis are classified as long term sick and the detailed tables of the Annual Report on Fuel Poverty Statistics 2009, available online at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/Media/viewfile.ashx?FilePath =Statistics \fuelpovei1y\l_20091020153255_e_@@_fuelpoverty 2007detai1edtables.pdf&filetype =4&minwidth=true
	show that in England in 2007, the latest year for which figures are available, there were around 1.1 million fuel poor households containing somebody who was disabled or long-term sick.

Fuel Poverty

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether vulnerable cancer patients will be eligible for the proposed mandatory social tariffs for fuel bills; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: We intend to introduce social price support to replace the existing voluntary agreement when it ends in March 2011.
	We are developing the detail of the policy, including who will be eligible for benefits under the scheme, and the final details will be subject to the outcome of the spending review and consultation.

Green Investment Bank

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his timetable is for the creation of a green investment bank.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 7 July 2010
	Following the Spending Review, the Government will put forward detailed proposals on the creation of a Green Investment Bank to help the UK meet the low-carbon investment challenge. A wide range of ambitious options for the scope and structure of the Green Investment Bank are under consideration.

Renewable Energy: Heating

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to implement the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme in April 2011.

Gregory Barker: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) on 15 June 2010,  Official Report, column 367-68W.

Windows: Energy

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount of heat energy lost through windows which are not energy efficient in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: The most recent data from the English House Condition Survey shows that in 2007, 67% of homes had full double glazing and 11% had no double glazing, with the remainder part double glazed. Moving a typical home from no double glazing to full C-rated double glazing would save 430 kgCO2 per year and save the household £85 per year.

Windows: Energy

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment has been made of the merits of including energy efficient windows in measures to be introduced under the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: A key principle of the Green Deal is that measures delivered will provide an energy bill saving and that this saving, when considered over its lifetime, will be large enough to cover the cost of the measure. Some energy efficient windows meet this criteria and would fit well within the Green Deal.

HOME DEPARTMENT

British Nationality

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and  (d) the UK were refused British citizenship in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Weaver Vale constituency,  (b) Cheshire,  (c) the North West and (d) the UK were granted British citizenship in each year since 1997.

Damian Green: UK Border Agency (Immigration Group) does not capture details of applications for British citizenship by parliamentary constituency. The following table provides details of citizenship applications granted and refused since 1997.
	Citizenship ceremonies were introduced in January 2004. From this date onwards applicants' post codes were mapped to their local authority to enable the local authority to invite successful applicants to attend a citizenship ceremony. Consequently information is available for the north-west and Cheshire from 2004 onwards.
	The information relating to the north-west and Cheshire has been provided from local management information and is not a National Statistic. As such it should be treated as provisional and therefore subject to change.
	Totals for the UK have been taken from the 2009 Home Office Statistical Bulletin.
	
		
			  Nationality  g rants and refusals of British citizenship in the North West 1997  to  2009 
			   Granted  Refused 
			   Total for the UK  Total for the  north- west  Total for the Cheshire  Total for the UK  Total for the  north- west  Total for the Cheshire 
			 1997 37,010 - - 4,745 - - 
			 1998 53,935 - - 3,750 - - 
			 1999 54,900 - - 3,995 - - 
			 2000 82,210 - - 6,785 - - 
			 2001 90,280 - - 9,530 - - 
			 2002 120,120 - - 8,330 - - 
			 2003 130,535 - - 10,555 - - 
			 2004 148,275 3,750 180 13,820 315 10 
			 2005 161,700 7,565 290 16,640 830 25 
			 2006 154,020 8,265 365 15,310 740 20 
			 2007 164,635 9,285 405 15,630 760 20 
			 2008 129,375 8,905 330 9,085 520 15 
			 2009 203,790 16,235 610 10,250 865 20 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five. 2. Citizenship ceremonies were introduced January 2004, this is when the applicants' postcodes were mapped to their nearest local authority. 3. In 2009 Cheshire county council was split into east and west Cheshire. 4. We cannot report on constituencies. 5. The total for the UK figures have been taken from the 2009 Home Office Statistical Bulletin.  Source: Local management information provided by UKBA, North West Region Planning and MI Team

Crime

Jack Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of trends in levels of crime since 1981.

James Brokenshire: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 29 June 2010,  Official Report, column 508W.
	The Government intend to review how crime statistics are collected and published so that we can have the fullest confidence that the information is comprehensive and accurate.

Departmental Offices

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to relocate officials working in her Department from central London to Bassetlaw.

Nick Herbert: Currently there are no plans to relocate officials from the Home Office in London to Bassetlaw.

Entry Clearances

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been  (a) granted and  (b) refused entry clearance into the UK in each year since 1997.

Damian Green: The total number of people who have been  (a) granted and  (b) refused entry clearance in each of the financial years from 2001-02 to 2008-09 can be found in the published annual Entry Clearance Statistics on our website:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas
	Reliable statistics for previous years is not available.
	The number of people granted and refused entry clearance in FY 2009-10 was 2,015,670 and 444,622, respectively(1).
	(1) This information is based on Management Information and as such has not been quality assured. It is provisional and subject to change.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a cost-benefit analysis to the UK economy of the presence of overseas students who obtain visas to study at English language schools will be included in her Department's review of the points-based immigration system.

Damian Green: As the Home Secretary has indicated, the Government will be reviewing the non-economic immigration routes with a view to bringing forward proposals in due course. I intend to undertake a thorough evaluation of the student system, including English language schools. The aim of that work will be to ensure that the right balance is struck between providing a user-friendly route for bona fide students and education providers and keeping out those who would seek to abuse the student system. The work will also take into account the Government's overall objective to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands by the end of the parliamentary term.

Police: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the reform of policing in London.

Nick Herbert: We have had a number of discussions with the Commissioner on policing issues and will continue to do so.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners are foreign nationals with no right of abode in the UK.

Damian Green: The Latest information published by the Ministry for Justice shows that on 31 March 2010, there were 11,400 foreign nationals in prison. This includes those held under the Immigration Act 1971 (including those in the removal centres of Dover, Hasler and Lindholme) as well as those held on remand or serving custodial sentences.
	In order to confirm how many of those have no right of abode in the UK would require cross referencing individual records between the National Offender Management Service and the UK Border Agency, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
	However, I can advise that a proportion of the foreign nationals in prison have a right to be in the United Kingdom either as an EEA national, or through another form of Leave for example Indefinite Leave to Remain or having been granted asylum. The UK Border Agency will seek to revoke leave in order remove individuals who meet the criteria for deportation which is set out in the following paragraphs.
	The UK Border Agency seeks to deport from the United Kingdom foreign nationals offenders who meet the following criteria:
	A court recommendation.
	For non-European economic area nationals. A custodial sentence of 12 months or more either in one sentence, or as an aggregate of two or three sentences over a period of five years or a custodial sentence of any length for a drug offence (an offence other than possession only).
	For EEA nationals: a custodial sentence of 12 months or more for an offence involving drugs, violent or sexual crimes or a custodial sentence of 24 months or more for other offences

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the departure of Antonia Maria Costa from the position of Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

James Brokenshire: Neither I, nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, have had discussions with the Secretary-General on this subject. The UK supports the Secretary-General in making appointments based on merit to senior UN positions.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Religious Freedom

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that freedom of religion is upheld in Afghanistan.

Alistair Burt: The Government strongly support the right to freedom of religion or belief. We are working to support all individuals who face discrimination and persecution on the basis of religion, wherever they are in the world. Article 2 of the Afghan constitution provides for freedom of religion, and we expect the Afghan Government to fully implement this. We have a regular dialogue with the Afghan Government on human rights, including the need to ensure the security of all Afghans, regardless of religion. In addition, we will also raise particular cases of concern with the Afghan Government as necessary.

Departmental Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) work to promote diversity and equality is designed to increase performance and productivity across the organisation of over 14,000 staff globally. It has contributed to our high staff survey scores compared with civil service benchmarks for leadership and staff commitment ("engagement").
	The data for the FCO's Diversity Strategy Unit and main related training initiatives for the last three financial years are in the table. These include spending on a global training initiative "Making the Most of Difference", for which most costs fell in financial year 2008-09.
	
		
			   Spending (£)  Staff costs (£)  Staff (full-time equivalent) 
			 2007-08 699,360 294,258 5 
			 2008-09 1,545,150 242,277 6 
			 2009-10 406,262 268,377 6 
		
	
	Diversity and equality considerations are factored into a wide range of aspects of the FCO's work as an employer, as a provider of services to British people around the world and in the development and delivery of aspects of foreign policy. The figures in the table do not include spending and staff time on all these activities, for which data are not held centrally, nor on the costs of individual reasonable adjustments for officers with a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act.

EU Law: Fines

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what outstanding cases the UK is being pursued in the European Court of Justice over non-implementation of EU legislative obligations.

David Lidington: Non-implementation only infractions concern cases where the UK has completely failed to implement a directive by the transposition deadline. There are presently no cases outstanding against the UK in respect of non-implementation only of its EU obligations.
	However, there are cases where there is a dispute as to whether the United Kingdom has correctly implemented its EU obligations and they are referred to as "incorrect implementation" infractions. There are presently two such cases.
	 C-582/08 Commission v. United Kingdom
	An application for a declaration that by denying recovery of input tax in respect of certain transactions carried out by taxable persons not established in the territory of the EC, the United Kingdom has failed to comply with its obligations under Articles 169, 170 and 171 of Council Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax and with Article 2(1) of the 13th VAT Directive 86/560/EEC on the harmonization of the laws of the member states relating to turnover taxes.
	 C-301/10 Commission v . United Kingdom
	An application to declare that the UK has failed to ensure that appropriate collecting systems have been put in place in Whitburn and London (to Beckton and Crossness waste water treatment works) in violation of Articles 3(1) and (2) and Annex I.A of Directive 91/271 /EC on Urban Waste Water, and failed to ensure that appropriate treatment is provided with respect to urban waste waters from London (at Beckton, Crossness and Mogden) in violation of Article 4(1) and (3), 10 and Annex I(B) of the directive.

European External Action Service

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the likely cost to the public purse of the establishment of the European External Action Service.

David Lidington: The Commission's amending budget no. 6 to the General Budget proposes an additional €9,521,362 (£8,079,828) for the European External Action Service (EEAS) in both commitment and payment appropriations this year. The UK's gross national income share of EU budget financing in 2010 is currently estimated at 13.8%. The pre-abatement cost to the UK of this proposal in 2010 would be roughly €1,313,948 (£1,115,016).
	The text of the Decision to establish the EEAS which was given political agreement by the Council in April makes clear that the establishment of the EEAS should be guided by the principle of cost-efficiency aiming towards budget neutrality.

Kenya: Foreign Relations

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Kenyan government since his appointment; and what his most recent assessment is of the state of UK-Kenya relations.

Henry Bellingham: The Government have good relations with the Government of Kenya. Our two countries are bound together by deep historical ties and people to people links. We work closely together on trade, tourism and defence, and in tackling regional and international security issues. The UK is also one of the largest bilateral aid donors to Kenya.
	I met the Kenyan Prime Minister on 28 May, along with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr O'Brien), following his earlier meeting with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. These meetings reaffirmed the importance of the UK-Kenya partnership on a range of shared interests, and the UK's commitment to supporting the reform agenda pursued by Kenya to ensure the country's future stability and prosperity. I praised progress on Kenya's constitutional review ahead of the August referendum, and reiterated UK support in areas such as constitutional, electoral and police reform. I encouraged strong leadership from Prime Minister Odinga and President Kibaki to combat corruption and impunity, including by those who perpetrated the post-election violence of 2007-08.
	The UK was saddened to hear of the attacks that place in Nairobi on 13 June at a constitutional rally. In a public statement following the attacks, I said that we condemned any such acts of violence, and would stand with Kenya in fighting such destructive acts. I look forward to visiting Kenya soon.

Mehmet Haberal

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the imprisonment of Professor Mehmet Haberal in Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: We understand that Professor Haberal is detained as a suspect in the ongoing Ergenekon investigation. It is not our practice to comment on ongoing legal cases in Turkey. It is for the Turkish courts to assess the evidence against individuals. The EU expects Turkey, as a country negotiating to become a member, to uphold European standards throughout the investigation and any subsequent trial. We will continue to follow developments closely.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Construction

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes have been completed in the London borough of  (a) Richmond,  (b) Barnet and  (c) Hillingdon in each year since 2005.

Andrew Stunell: The information requested up to and including 2008-09 is published in Live Table 1008 on the Communities and Local Government website. The table, which includes both new-build completions as well as acquisitions, can be found at the following link.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/affordablehousingsupply/livetables/
	The next CLG Affordable Housing statistical release containing figures for 2009-10 is scheduled to be published in the autumn.

Affordable Housing: Construction

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable housing starts there were in each London local authority in each year since 2005-06; and how many are projected for  (a) 2010-11,  (b) 2011-12 and  (c) 2012-13.

Andrew Stunell: Information showing affordable housing starts under the National Affordable Housing Programme in each London local authority since 2005-06 is provided in the following table. Information on housing starts is recorded on the basis of when the grant is claimed which may differ from when the house building has commenced.
	
		
			  National Affordable Housing Programme: House building starts 
			  Sponsor LA name  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Barking and Dagenham 262 184 199 442 286 
			 Barnet 166 449 288 402 633 
			 Bexley 190 163 250 123 345 
			 Brent 297 540 377 357 568 
			 Bromley 159 268 190 273 391 
			 Camden 198 429 229 130 377 
			 Croydon 581 505 740 505 436 
			 Ealing 384 408 265 575 288 
			 Enfield 161 396 147 537 555 
			 Greenwich 337 515 720 1,127 439 
			 Hackney 563 988 502 625 1,145 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 203 824 233 139 130 
			 Haringey 352 602 332 451 280 
			 Harrow 104 73 294 251 370 
			 Havering 155 303 215 203 275 
			 Hillingdon 278 223 357 384 327 
			 Hounslow 515 735 553 342 70 
			 Islington 223 613 772 66 335 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1 62 22 95 236 
			 Kingston upon Thames 122 54 9 64 36 
			 Lambeth 642 508 570 742 320 
			 Lewisham 231 193 205 353 946 
			 Merton 186 360 53 43 134 
			 Newham 809 1,038 914 292 1,639 
			 Redbridge 179 372 209 116 104 
			 Richmond upon Thames 42 233 58 5 86 
			 Southwark 383 544 214 653 979 
			 Sutton 211 132 93 59 286 
			 Tower Hamlets 752 1,412 1,609 1,192 2,347 
			 Waltham Forest 157 244 191 425 442 
			 Wandsworth 271 306 45 185 145 
			 Westminster 238 272 319 226 164 
			 Total 9,352 13,948 11,174 11,382 15,114 
			  Source: Homes and Communities Agency 
		
	
	The Homes and Communities Agency's corporate plan set targets for delivery over 2009-10 and 2010-11 for affordable housing starts on site:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/public/documents/HCA_Corporate%20Plan_English.pdf
	Performance in 2009-10 will be reported in the HCA's annual report and accounts, due to be published shortly. Given the severe financial pressures targets for 2010-11 will be reviewed in the light of the final budgets for this year. Decisions on future levels of funding for the provision of new affordable housing will be made in the spending review.

Capital Gains Tax

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the buy-to-let housing market of proposals to  (a) reform housing benefit and  (b) increase the level of capital gains tax.

Andrew Stunell: The Department for Work and Pensions undertakes an assessment of the impact of benefit changes on specific groups as part of the policy development process. DWP will publish a formal impact assessment in due course.
	HM Treasury estimates that the likely effect on the buy-to-let sector of increasing the rate of Capital Gains Tax will be small.

Council Housing: Tower Hamlets

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people in the London borough of Tower Hamlets were in temporary accommodation in each year since 2005.

Andrew Stunell: Under homelessness legislation, local authorities have a duty to provide temporary accommodation to those households accepted as owed the main homelessness duty, pending inquiries or review, and those who were found to be intentionally homeless but are being accommodated for such a period as would give them a reasonable opportunity to find accommodation for themselves.
	The following table shows the number of households reported by the London borough of Tower Hamlets in temporary accommodation arranged by the authority, as at 31 March each year since 2005.
	
		
			  Households in temporary accommodation arranged by the local authority as reported by Tower Hamlets  on 31 March each year, 2005- 10 
			   Number 
			 2005 2,948 
			 2006 2,652 
			 2007 2,540 
			 2008 (1)- 
			 2009 2,423 
			 2010 1,899 
			 (1) Data not reported  Source:  CLG P1E Homelessness returns (quarterly)

Council Housing: Tower Hamlets

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much gap funding his Department and its predecessors has made available to support each stock transfer in Tower Hamlets since 1997.

Andrew Stunell: The following table sets out the gap funding payments that have been made to support stock transfers in Tower Hamlets since 1997.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Stock transfer scheme  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Poplar HARCA [Leopold Estate] 0.862 1.750 0.275 3.714 3.088 
			 Bethnal Green and Victoria Park [Sheltered] 0.369 1.018 1.902 - - 
			 East End Homes Ltd [St. Georges] 0.185 0.734 0.754 - - 
			 Tower Hamlets Community Housing Ltd [Mansford /Norton] 0.250 1.284 1.239 0.988 - 
			 Swan Housing Association Limited [Exmouth] - 0.580 1.577 3.321 - 
			 Poplar HARCA [Devons Estate] - 0.175 0.880 3.113 1.918 
			 Spitalfields HA [Dinmont] - - 0.340 0.705 0.426 
			 Eastend Homes [Glamis] - - 0.100 0.453 0.478 
			 Poplar HARCA [East India] - - - 3.000 1.735 
			 Poplar HARCA [Coventry Cross] - - - - 0.581 
			 Total 1.666 5.541 7.066 15.294 8.226

Departmental Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 5 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on public spending control and the £1.5 billion of cancelled government commitments this year as a result of restrictions on departmental access to end year flexibility (EYF) and the reserve, what proportion of the £220 million reduction in his Department's programmes is a result of restricted EYF.

Grant Shapps: The Government identified inherited spending plans where funding was reliant on underspending across Government though the End Year Flexibility (EYF) system or additional funding from the Reserve. However, it was highly unrealistic to expect that underspending would have been sufficient to cover all these commitments. There is insufficient contingency in the Reserve to cover the remainder. Therefore, without urgent action, the difference would result in higher borrowing this year.
	As a result the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced on 5 July that four Departments had worked with the Treasury to cancel £1.5 billion of commitments that relied upon access to the Reserve and EYF, of which £220 million was from the commitments the previous Government made to the Department for Communities and Local Government for access to EYF in 2010-11. Moreover given public sector borrowing in 2010-11 was forecast to hit £167 billion such levels of spending on 'borrowed money' was unsustainable-contributing to the forecast £1.4 trillion of public debt by 2014.

Departmental Public Expenditure

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 5 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 1-2WS, on public spending control, what programmes will be reduced this year to make up the cancelled £220 million commitments in his Department; and by how much each of them will be reduced.

Grant Shapps: The Government remain strongly committed to reducing the United Kingdom's budget deficit and the announcement by the Chief Secretary on the 5 July confirmed that the Department has agreed to a £220 million reduction in its claim for End Year Flexibility this year. We have therefore been able to confirm £390 million of End Year Flexibility this year, alongside the £170 million announced on 24 May, for the provision of new social housing and other housing priorities.
	This guarantee of £560 million of funding will enable the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) to meet all existing contractual commitments and will be able to progress some of those programmes that have been paused while the funding position was under review. The HCA's regional offices will be assessing which other schemes can be progressed. Moreover given public sector borrowing in 2010-11 was forecast to hit £167 billion such levels of spending on 'borrowed money' was unsustainable-contributing to the forecast £1.4 trillion of public debt by 2014.

Green Belt

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide further powers for planning enforcement action to be taken in relation to unauthorised construction on green belt land.

Bob Neill: The Government are committed to the protection of the green belt. We are also working on proposals to strengthen the powers that are available to local planning authorities to enforce against breaches of planning control, in line with our ideas in the Conservative Green Paper on planning, "Open Source Planning", the principles of which have been set out in the coalition agreement.

Housing and Planning Delivery Grant

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria he used in deciding to end the housing and planning delivery grant.

Andrew Stunell: The Government have made clear that their most urgent priority is to tackle the UK's record deficit in order to restore confidence in our economy and support the recovery. On Monday 24 May, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced the first step in tackling the deficit, setting out how the Government intend to save over £6 billion from spending in 2010-11. Included in that savings package was an expectation that savings of over £1 billion would be delivered by local government.
	The intention of HPDG was to act as an incentive to local authorities to bring forward housing and prepare the ground for increased delivery. However, there has been a sustained shortfall in housing development resulting in the lowest level of house building in England since 1946. HPDG has proved an ineffective and excessively complex incentive. The coalition agreement set out that the Government will provide incentives for local authorities to deliver sustainable development, including for new homes and businesses and these will be set out in due course.

Housing Benefit

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the adequacy of the resources allocated to local authorities for the purposes of rehousing tenants who are found to be under-occupying social housing as a consequence of implementation of his proposals for changes to housing benefit.

Andrew Stunell: Many social landlords already provide support and incentives to tenants who wish to move to smaller properties. The national home-swap scheme which we intend to introduce will provide further assistance.

Housing: Construction

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many housing construction starts there were in London in each year since 2000; and how many of these were for affordable homes in each such year.

Andrew Stunell: Quarterly Statistics on the number of new housing construction starts in London are shown in live table 217 on the Communities and Local Government website and annual statistics are shown in live table 231. These tables can be found at the following link. These figures are split into private, Registered Social Landlord (RSL) and local authority tenure so an estimate of how many of these starts can be obtained by summing the RSL and local authority starts.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/housebuilding/livetables/
	More accurate and detailed statistics on the annual supply (completions) of affordable housing in London, including both new-build completions and acquisitions, are shown in live table 1000 which can be found at the following link.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/affordablehousing supply/livetables/
	The next CLG Affordable Housing statistical release containing figures for 2009-10 is scheduled to be published in the autumn of 2010.

Housing: Construction

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many housing starts there were in each London borough in each year since 2005;
	(2)  how many housing starts are projected for  (a) 2010-11,  (b) 2011-12 and  (c) 2012-13 in each London local authority area.

Andrew Stunell: Annual statistics for previous years on the number of new housing starts in London are shown in live table 253 on the Communities and Local Government. This table can be found at the following link.
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/housebuilding/livetables
	The Department does not publish projections for house building.
	The Greater London Authority produces the London Plan that includes trajectories of projected housing supply in London
	http://www.london.gov.uk/shaping-london/london-plan/docs/london-plan.pdf

Infrastructure Planning Commission

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the abolition of the Infrastructure Planning Commission will result in redundancies.

Greg Clark: We are currently designing how the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit will be constituted within the Planning Inspectorate but I expect that the majority of existing staff from the Infrastructure Planning Commission will move into the new unit.
	I have asked the chief executives of both the Infrastructure Planning Commission and The Planning Inspectorate to work up detailed proposals to identify the most cost effective way to integrate the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit into The Planning Inspectorate.
	The staffing of the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit within The Planning Inspectorate will vary according to the number of cases it is considering, but I would expect that the new arrangements will save taxpayers money compared to maintaining two separate bodies.

Tenant Services Authority

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) timetable,  (b) terms of reference and  (c) format of the review of the facilities of the Tenant Services Authority are.

Grant Shapps: The Government are reviewing the role and purpose of the Tenant Services Authority and the framework for social housing regulation, in line with our commitment to reduce the number of quangos and cut unnecessary regulation. The review will conclude as quickly as possible.

HEALTH

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on  (a) organisation of and  (b) attendance at conferences in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: Expenditure on organisation of and attendance at conferences in each year since 1997 is not easily available in the Department. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Simon Burns: From 2006-07 to 2008-09, the actual spending of the Equality and Human Rights Group of the Department was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Total 2,860,300 5,059,222 4,951,770 
			 Staff (1)- 1,502,590 1,368,261 
			 (1) Not available. 
		
	
	The Equality and Human Rights Group was re-organised into three teams in 2009. Expressed as full-time equivalents, at 5 July 2010 there are 18 civil servants working in these three teams. At any one time, secondees from the national health service and elsewhere are also recruited for their knowledge and skills.

Departmental Photographs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the present administration.

Simon Burns: Since the formation of the Government, the Department has spent £537.43 on official photographs of Ministers.

Departmental Training

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training has been provided for Ministers in his Department since the formation of the present administration; and at what cost.

Simon Burns: Two Ministers have attended the National School of Government's Learning and Development for Ministers course, at no cost to the Department.

Dietary Supplements: EC Law

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when Ministers from his Department last met representatives of the food supplements industry to discuss the setting of maximum permitted levels under Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to communicate to the European Commission the Government's policy on the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements under Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive to the European Commission.

Anne Milton: Since this Government was formed, there have been no meetings between the Department's Ministers and representatives of the food supplements industry to discuss the setting of maximum permitted levels under article 5 of the food supplements directive.
	I have written to and met with the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy to discuss the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.

Direct Payments

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what options will be available to patients for the receipt of payments under the Direct Payment Scheme.

Paul Burstow: Under the personal health budget pilot programme, individuals either have a bank account to receive payment or are given a pre-paid card. Most pilot sites plan to offer one method of payment but some may decide to offer a choice of these two payment options.
	If individuals already receive social care direct payments or other similar funds, such as money from the independent living fund, they may use the same bank account for their direct payment for healthcare. Otherwise, a separate bank account will need to be set up to ensure the money is kept separate from the person's other resources.

Doctors: Foreign Workers

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made for benchmarking purposes of the level of training received by doctors who have trained in a non-EU member state and subsequently registered within the EU in comparison with that received by doctors who were trained in the UK.

Anne Milton: The assessment of qualifications of non-European Union clinicians wishing to work in the national health service is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC).
	The GMC is the United Kingdom competent authority with responsibility for assessing whether clinicians trained outside of the European economic area or Switzerland possess the relevant qualifications (along with the knowledge, skills and experience) necessary for practising in the UK-whether within the NHS or the private sector.
	More information about the process for applying to the GMC and the recognition of international qualifications is available at:
	www.gmc-uk.org/information_for_you/unregistered_doctors.asp

Drugs: Research

Kevin Barron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 3.21 of the White Paper, Pharmacy in England: Building on Strengths-Delivering the Future, when he plans to publish the research on medicines which are not used; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: We have received the final research report and we are carefully considering its findings, which we will make public soon.

Enfield NHS Trust: Finance

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that any changes to the provision of front line services at  (a) Chase Farm Hospital and  (b) other NHS organisations for the purposes of reducing the deficit of Enfield NHS Trust do not influence the outcome of the local GP-led consultation on the future of healthcare services in Enfield.

Simon Burns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has outlined new criteria that he expects decisions on national health service changes to meet:
	support from general practitioner commissioners;
	arrangements for public and patient engagement, including local authorities being further strengthened;
	greater clarity about the clinical evidence bases underpinning proposals; and
	proposals taking into account the need to develop and support patient choice.
	Local NHS organisations must ensure their plans meet these criteria before continuing with planned service changes.

Epilepsy

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the  (a) prevalence and  (b) costs to the NHS of epilepsy misdiagnosis.

Paul Burstow: Independent academic research has estimated the misdiagnosis rates at around 23% with an estimated annual cost to the national health service, for England and Wales, of up to £138 million.
	It is the responsibility of local health bodies to ensure that health professionals follow the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. The National Framework for Long-term neurological Conditions recognises the particular challenge of diagnosing some neurological conditions, and recommends a specialist assessment in line with national guidelines. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends that all people having a first seizure should be seen as soon as possible by a specialist in the management of the epilepsies to ensure precise and early diagnosis and initiation of therapy as appropriate to their needs. The Department has made no estimates of the prevalence and costs to the NHS of epilepsy misdiagnosis.

EU Law

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost to his Department of compliance with regulations arising from EU obligations in the last 12 months.

Anne Milton: The information required can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

General Practitioners

Adrian Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has on the number of GP appointments for patients with minor ailments in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally.

General Practitioners: Mental Health Services

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there will be separate GP commissioning boards for the provision of mental health services; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The "Coalition: our programme for government" document confirms this Government's intention to strengthen the power of GPs as patients' expert guides through the health system by enabling them to commission care on their behalf. We will bring forward more detailed proposals in due course.

Hospital Wards: Gender

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to end the use of mixed-sex accommodation in NHS facilities.

Simon Burns: The revised operating framework for the NHS in England 2010-11(1 )reiterates our commitment to eliminating mixed sex accommodation, except where it is clearly in the overall best interests of the patient.
	As resources allow, we will increase the proportion of single rooms in the national health service. We will review existing sanctions with a view to strengthening them if necessary, and we will ensure that information about same-sex accommodation is made available to patients and the public - so that they can make informed choices about their place of treatment.
	 Note:
	(1) Published by Department of Health, June 2010. A copy has already been placed in the Library.

Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the merits of updating the clinical guidelines for multiple sclerosis to permit the use of Sativex.

Paul Burstow: This matter is the sole responsibility of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). They issued a clinical guideline on the management of multiple sclerosis in primary and secondary care in November 2003, and are expected to review this guideline in November 2010. We therefore, have made no assessment of the merits of updating the clinical guidelines for multiple sclerosis.
	Sativex is now licensed as an add-on treatment for moderate to severe spasticity in people who have not gained adequate relief of symptoms from one or more oral medicines, or have experienced unbearable side effects while taking these medicines.

NHS: Finance

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ring-fence  (a) NHS funding and  (b) budgets in other areas of public expenditure to reduce health inequality; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The coalition agreement commits to increases in health spending in real terms in each year of the Parliament enabling the national health service to plan for the future with more certainty.
	Local directors of public health will be given control over ring-fenced public health budgets, to provide a strong local strategy and leadership for improving their population's health and provide dedicated finance for reductions in avoidable ill health and health inequality.
	Final departmental spending plans will be announced in the spending review in the autumn.

NHS: Foreign Workers

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many medical staff registered in another EU member state are practising in  (a) independent sector treatment sectors and  (b) NHS hospitals.

Simon Burns: The Department does not hold information on the number of medical staff registered in another European Union member state who are practising in independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) or national health service hospitals.
	However, the NHS Information Centre (IC) collects data concerning the country of qualification of NHS medical staff in England. The NHS Workforce Census 2009, published by the IC, shows that 6,485 medical practitioners, working in England at September 2009, qualified within the remainder of the European Economic Area. (This is the most recent published information available.)

NHS: Standards

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2010,  Official Report, column 698 on NHS targets, on what indicators he plans to concentrate in order to manage waiting times; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Accountability to patients and greater information transparency, through patient choice and the move towards general practitioner-led commissioning, should make long waits unacceptable.
	To ensure patients do not experience undue delay at any stage of their treatment we will continue to publish and monitor hospital waiting times. GPs and commissioners of health services can use this information locally to ensure that they can continue to improve access to services for their patients. This change will empower patients and clinicians putting them at the heart of decision-making, with a focus on quality and outcomes, not processes.
	The right "to access services within maximum waiting times, or for the national health service to take all reasonable steps to offer you a range of alternative providers if this is not possible" remains in the NHS constitution.
	Commissioners should also continue to enforce the clauses related to waiting times within NHS standard contracts and will want to ensure that any flexibility to improve access reflects local clinical priorities.

Nurses

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) clinical and  (b) cost effectiveness of the use of specialist nurses.

Anne Milton: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave her on 22 June 2010,  Official Report, column 174W.

Stomach Cancer

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individual funding requests his Department has  (a) received and  (b) accepted for the use of Herceptin in the treatment of gastric cancer; and what the average time was between receipt of such a request and a decision on that request.

Simon Burns: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising trastuzumab (Herceptin) for the treatment of gastric cancer (advanced HER-2 positive) and published its draft guidance for consultation on 6 July 2010.
	In the absence of final guidance from NICE, it is for primary care trusts to make decisions on the funding of treatments. Information on the number and timing of such decisions is not collected centrally.

Strokes: Health Services

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to improve the research-based evidence and guidance on the costs and benefits of clinical and other support for longer-term stroke care.

Simon Burns: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently developing a clinical guideline on stroke rehabilitation for use in the national health service. NICE expects to publish its final guidance in April 2012.
	The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a range of studies on stroke including research on longer-term care. The NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme is currently commissioning research on rehabilitation more than six months after a stroke. The NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care-Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire has a stroke rehabilitation theme aiming to increase the capacity of the stroke rehabilitation community to engage with and apply research findings.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Small Businesses: Finance

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to increase access to finance for small businesses.

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to increase access to finance for small businesses.

Mark Prisk: The coalition is committed to ensuring the flow of credit to viable SMEs. The emergency Budget announced numerous measures: increasing the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, creating the Growth Capital Fund and Enterprise Capital Fund.

Directors: Company Reporting

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to ensure that directors' social and environmental duties are covered in company reporting.

Edward Davey: I intend to publish a consultation later this month on our commitment to reinstate an Operating and Financial Review to ensure that directors' social and environmental duties have to be covered in company reporting and investigate further ways of improving corporate accountability and transparency.

Apprentices: Environment Protection

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with the  (a) Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and  (b) Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the contribution that green apprenticeships could make to (i) the economy and (ii) tackling climate change; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: We are committed to increasing the number of genuine, high-quality, employer-owned Apprenticeships across all sectors, and are working with Sector Skills Councils to ensure that Apprenticeship frameworks meet the needs of the real economy. High quality training opportunities like Apprenticeships are key to supporting this country's growth and success.
	We will of course want to discuss with Cabinet colleagues how Apprenticeships can contribute to the policies and priorities of all Departments. Officials in BIS, DECC and DEFRA continue to work closely in this area and on how low carbon skills development should be taken forward within the new freedoms and flexibilities we are putting in place to boost the responsiveness of the skills system to emerging growth sectors.
	Extending Apprenticeships into new areas and embracing new technologies and emerging industries is fundamentally important to the very nature of Apprenticeships-we must be responsive to the changing demands of employers and industry. Sector Skills Councils are playing a lead role and collaborating over Low Carbon skills, including working with employers to design new Apprenticeship frameworks.

Broadband

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to support the roll-out next generation mobile broadband services.

Edward Vaizey: The coalition Government are committed to releasing spectrum to support the next generation of mobile services. A decision on the approach will be made before the summer recess.

Business: Government Assistance

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to increase access to finance for small businesses.

Mark Prisk: The coalition is committed to ensuring the flow of credit to viable SMEs. The emergency Budget announced numerous measures: increasing the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, creating the Growth Capital Fund and Enterprise Capital Fund.

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the expenditure of his Department and its predecessors on  (a) organisation of and  (b) attendance at conferences in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and its predecessor bodies which remain within the BIS boundary, has spent the following amounts on conferences since 2003-04, which is the earliest date for which figures are available.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003-04 2,739,824 
			 2004-05 5,858,182 
			 2005-06 6,297,050 
			 2006-07 3,475,252 
			 2007-08 1,598,334 
			 2008-09 4,646,532 
			 2009-10 3,287,471 
		
	
	The BIS accounting system does not disaggregate the figures between the organisation of and attendance at conferences and such details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Speeches

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which  (a) (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers in his Department and  (b) other individuals are employed to write speeches for each Minister in his Department.

Edward Davey: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) currently has four civil servants writing speeches and articles for six Ministers, a team which includes Stephen Adams who writes for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The Department's three special advisers contribute to speeches among other duties when required. Policy officials regularly provide briefing which can include drafting for parliamentary speeches.

Environment Protection

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2010,  Official Report, column 535W, on environment protection, what forthcoming UK Trade and Investment trade missions will focus on low carbon business opportunities.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade & Investment trade missions focusing on low carbon business opportunities include a sustainable cities mission to China in September; a mission to the Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference in October; a mission to FIMAI, an environment show, in Brazil in November; and a clean-tech mission to the US west coast in February.
	Information about missions planned for this financial year are published on the UK Trade & Investment website, when available:
	http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/eventssearch.html
	Details of the mission to Delhi can already be found on the website. Details for the remaining missions will be published online shortly. Users need to search for events and missions by sector, country, region or event type.

Further Education: Regulation

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received from  (a) further education colleges and  (b) other training providers on the implications for their operation of the regulatory framework applying to them.

John Hayes: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities and Science and I have received a number of representations from further education colleges and training organisations on issues concerning the regulatory framework. These include bi-lateral meetings with the sector representative bodies, the Association of Colleges, 157 Group and the Association of Learning Providers, as well as issues raised during our visits to colleges.
	On 17 June, I wrote to Members of Parliament, colleges and training organisations informing them of a number of measures that will be taken to meet the coalition Government's commitment to set colleges free from direct state control, helping the providers of further education to focus on meeting the demands of employers and learners in their areas. We are considering what further restrictions should be removed and will take the earliest opportunity to make any necessary changes in legislation.

Higher Education and Student Finance Independent Review

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Minister of State for Universities has  (a) met,  (b) spoken on the telephone and  (c) corresponded with Lord Browne about his review of higher education funding and student finance.

David Willetts: Since my appointment, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had one meeting with Lord Browne, to discuss the Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance.

Insolvency Service: Standards

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Insolvency Service in investigating offences relating to company insolvencies; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Insolvency Service is highly effective in investigating corporate misconduct and disqualifying directors. Last year, 1,388 directors were disqualified for an average of 6.4 years. In addition, it completed investigations into 268 live companies, which resulted in 251 being wound up in the public interest.

Post Office: ICT

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his most recent estimate is of the cost to postmasters and sub-postmasters of errors in the Horizon operating system; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: I have asked David Smith, the Managing Director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Public Expenditure

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 26 May 2010,  Official Report, columns 2-3WS, on savings (2010-11), under what budgetary headings the £836 million of savings allocated to his Department will be made.

Edward Davey: The following table details the reductions made to the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), budget as part of the savings announcement of 26 May 2010. This shows a net savings figure of £634 million, as £200 million was recycled into apprenticeships and further education programmes. A further £2 million reduction was made from UK Trade and Investment's contribution to the regional development agencies.
	BIS is in the process of agreeing how the running cost savings of £48 million resource and £51.3 million capital will be made across BIS and its wider family of partner organisations.
	
		
			  £000 
			  May 2010 savings announcements  Resource  Capital 
			 Core BIS and partner organisation efficiency savings (48,700) (51,300) 
			 Higher education efficiency savings package (170,000) (30,000) 
			 UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCRMI) - (233,000) 
			 Regional development agency savings (from core BIS funding) (5,000) (67,000) 
			 UK vocational reform - (11,000) 
			 Small/medium business adjudicator service (3,000) - 
			 Investment in the Institute of Web Science (5,000) - 
			 Small business research initiative (10,000) - 
			 Train to Gain refocus (200,000) - 
			 Apprenticeships 150,000 - 
			 Further education - 50,000 
			 Totals (291,700) (342,300)

Science: Higher Education

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to encourage an increase in the number of students studying scientific subjects at university.

David Willetts: The Coalition Government recognise that advances in science and technology underpin the UK's economic growth and social prosperity. The UK depends on a strong base of relevant skills, developed in schools, colleges and universities We have recently announced that we are enabling universities to recruit an additional 10,000 students in 2010/11; many of these places will be in STEM subjects.
	This Department works closely with the Department for Education to encourage students to choose science and engineering subjects. This Government currently support initiatives such as STEMNET, the Big Bang Fair, and HEFCE's Strategically Important and Vulnerable Subjects, and National HE STEM, programmes. Working closely with employers, these improve young people's appreciation of scientific subjects and careers. We also support activities that encourage wider public engagement with the sciences. We will review these and related activities during the spending review.

Takeovers: Public Interest

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if he will bring forward measures to introduce a public interest test in the consideration by regulators of take-overs and mergers;
	(2)  with reference to the answer of 28 June 2010,  Official Report, column 412W, on competition, what recent assessment he has made of progress in the takeover panel's consultation on options for amending the Takeover Code in relation to a public interest test for mergers and takeovers.

Edward Davey: A more detailed statement about the Government's approach to the way takeovers and mergers are regulated will be included in the Government's forthcoming response to the 6 April report by the Business Innovation and Skills Select Committee into Kraft's Acquisition of Cadbury (HC 234), which we will be publishing as a Command Paper shortly. I can confirm the Government have no current plans to amend the Enterprise Act as it relates to the scope for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to intervene in mergers on public interest grounds. The Takeover Panel's consultation on options for amending the Takeover Code is due to close by 27 July 2010.

TREASURY

Bank Services: Fees and Charges

Ian Swales: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to introduce legislation to end unfair bank charges.

Mark Hoban: The Government have stated in the coalition agreement that
	"we will introduce stronger consumer protections, including measures to end unfair bank and financial transaction charges".
	We are considering how best to implement this commitment and will bring forward proposals in due course.

Budget June 2010

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will provide figures as in Chart A1 of the Red Book for the impact of measures in  (a) 2012-13 and  (b) 2013-14 using only measures as at the Budget of (i) March and (ii) June 2010;
	(2)  if he will provide figures as in Chart A2 of the Red Book for the impact of measures in  (a) 2012-13 and  (b) 2013-14 using only measures as at the Budget of (i) March and (ii) June 2010.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) on 1 July 2010,  Official Report, column 610W.

Crown Estates

Greg Knight: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value was of Crown land sold by the Crown Estate in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: The proceeds from sales of investment properties (land and buildings) for the last three years was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2008-09 231.5 
			 2007-08 328.8 
			 2006-07 417.8

Debts: Developing Countries

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from representatives of the financial services sector on the  (a) implementation and  (b) sunset clause provisions of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010.

Mark Hoban: The Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010 passed through Parliament in April and will mean that UK Courts of Law will no longer be used to pursue excessive claims against some of the poorest countries on their historic debts, ensuring that resources are available to tackle poverty. The sunset clause attached to this legislation requires that the Government review within a year whether or not to extend the Act. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has not to date received any representations from representatives of the financial services sector on the implementation of the Act or its sunset clause provisions.

Departmental Official Photographs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the present administration.

Justine Greening: There has been no spending on official photographs of Treasury Ministers since the formation of the Government.

Financial Services: Regulation

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department plans to take to implement the recent G20 summit decisions on reform of the financial sector.

Mark Hoban: The Government strongly support the commitments made by G20 countries to strengthen global financial regulation and supervision, and enhance international cooperation, and are committed to implementing these reforms in the UK. Common regulatory standards internationally are crucial to minimise the risks of regulatory arbitrage and the fragmentation of international financial markets. The UK will work through the EU to secure reforms that support and reinforce the G20 regulatory reform agenda.

Government Departments: Accountancy

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers provided written directions to departmental accounting officers under paragraph 5.5 of the Ministerial Code in Session 2009-10; and what matters were covered by each such instruction.

Justine Greening: The information sought is as set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Date  Department  Minister  Direction  Category 
			 2009 BERR(1) Lord Mandelson Icelandic Water Trawlermen Scheme VFM 
			 2009 BERR(1) Lord Mandelson Advantage West Midlands Loan VFM 
			 2009 MOD Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP Repatriation Flights for UK Hostages in Iraq Propriety 
			 2009 MOD Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP Repatriation Flights for UK Hostages in Iraq Propriety 
			 2009 DEFRA Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP Dairy Farmers of Britain VFM 
			 2009 BERR(1) Lord Mandelson Leeds Arena Project VFM 
			 2009 BERR(1) Lord Mandelson Car Scrappage Scheme VFM 
			 2009 BERR(1) Lord Mandelson Car Scrappage Scheme VFM 
			 2009 HMT Rt Hon Alastair Darling MP Asset Protection Scheme Propriety 
			 2010 DCLG Rt Hon John Denham MP Proposals for new unitary local government structures for Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk VFM 
			 2010 MOJ Rt Hon Jack Straw MP Pleural Plaques Regularity and VFM 
			 2010 MOD Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP Basra memorial wail dedication ceremony VFM 
			 2010 BIS Lord Mandelson North West Development Agency's funding for Blackpool Leisure Assets VFM 
			 2010 DCLG Rt Hon John Denham MP North West Development Agency's funding for Blackpool Leisure Assets VFM 
			 (1) Now BIS

Income Tax: Tax Allowances

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people liable for income tax at the higher rate who will be net beneficiaries of his proposal to increase the personal allowance and lower the level at which the higher rate of income tax is payable.

David Gauke: Budget 2010 announcements on the personal allowance for under 65s and basic rate limit are aimed at ensuring that the majority of higher rate taxpayers will pay broadly the same total level of tax and national insurance as previously planned.
	This is consistent with current estimates which suggest that around 1.9 million higher rate taxpayers may gain an average of just £5 in 2011-12. Such estimates depend on economic assumptions, in particular for inflation in September 2010. The projected small benefit arises due to differences in rounding amounts for the personal allowance and basic rate limit.

Inheritance Tax

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people liable to pay inheritance tax in  (a) 2010-11,  (b) 2011-12,  (c) 2012-13,  (d) 2013-14,  (e) 2014-15 and  (f) 2015-16.

David Gauke: The current forecast is that about 15,000 estates left on death in 2010-11 will be liable for inheritance tax. This figure can be found, together with the historical numbers of taxpayers, on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/table1-4.pdf
	Forecast numbers of taxpayers are not available for later years as they are subject to a great deal of uncertainty because of possible changes to forecasts of asset prices.

Rents

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the level of  (a) 50th percentile rents in 2010-11 and  (b) 30th percentile rents in 2011-12 for (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five bedroom properties in Makerfield constituency.

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the level of  (a) 50th percentile rents in 2010-11 and  (b) 30th percentile rents in 2011-12 for (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five bedroom properties in Worsley and Eccles South constituency.

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the  (a) 50th percentile rent in 2010-11 and  (b) the 30th percentile rent in 2011-12 on a property of (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five bedrooms in (A) Slough, (B) Salisbury and (C) Scarborough and Whitby constituency.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the level of  (a) 50th percentile rents in 2010-11 and  (b) 30th percentile rents in 2011-12 for (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five bedroom properties in Houghton and Sunderland South constituency.

David Gauke: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given on 6 July 2010,  Official Report, column 184W to the hon. Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper).

Taxation: Banks

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what representations he has received from  (a) the banking sector and  (b) others on (i) the proposed bank levy and (ii) other measures proposed in the June 2010 Budget;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with representatives of the banking sector on the proposed bank levy;
	(3)  what  (a) research he commissioned and  (b) impact assessment he undertook in respect of the proposed banking levy prior to his financial statement;
	(4)  what modelling his Department undertook to determine the rate at which the banking levy would be set for  (a) 2011 and  (b) subsequent years;
	(5)  what criteria he used to determine the proposed level at which the banking levy would be set;
	(6)  what estimate his Department has made of the revenue which would accrue to the Exchequer if the bank levy were set at a rate of  (a) 0.05,  (b) 0.06,  (c) 0.08,  (d) 0.09,  (e) 0.10,  (f) 0.11,  (g) 0.12,  (h) 0.13,  (i) 0.14 and  (j) 0.15 per cent. in (i) 2011, (ii) 2012, (iii) 2013 and (iv) 2014.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
	No external research was commissioned in respect of the bank levy prior to the financial statement.
	The proposed rate reflects the risks posed by the banking sector to the financial system and wider economy, whilst taking account of current economic circumstances and the UK's competitive position.
	The estimated costs to the Exchequer for the bank levy are set out in the following Budget 2010 document:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf
	Page 19 of that document sets out the pre-behavioural yield from the announced rates of the levy and the pre-behavioural yield would change proportionately with changes in the rate. No quantitative estimates have been made of the differential behavioural effects of setting the levy at these other rates.
	An impact assessment will be published alongside the forthcoming consultation document.

Taxation: Gaming Machines

Therese Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the application of value added tax and amusement machine licence duty currently and retrospectively to automated lottery machines by HM Revenue and Customs

Justine Greening: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) have always classed automated lottery machines as gaming machines that are subject to amusement machine licence duty with VAT chargeable on their takings.
	The First-Tier Tribunal heard a case involving one type of electronic lottery machine early in June and released its decision on 1 July that this specific product is a gaming machine but that the takings are exempt from VAT.
	HMRC are considering the implications of this decision.

Unemployment: South Yorkshire

Denis MacShane: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the likely change to the level of unemployment in South Yorkshire in the next 24 months.

Justine Greening: HM Treasury does not produce forecasts of unemployment on a sub-national basis.

VAT

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the  (a) economic modelling and  (b) other impact assessments his Department used to decide on the proposals for the standard rate of value added tax contained in the June 2010 Budget.

David Gauke: The Budget's VAT rate increase was driven by the need to address the deficit, which will benefit everyone.
	Other than Annex A of the "Red Book", describing the distributional impacts of the Budget, the economic effects of the increase in the standard rate of VAT are set out in the Office for Budget Responsibility's Budget forecast at Annex C:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexc.pdf
	The associated impact assessments, which describe the compliance costs for business, were published alongside the Budget:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_impact _assessments.pdf

VAT

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the increase in Exchequer receipts from value added tax if the rate of that tax were set at  (a) 18,  (b) 18.5,  (c) 19,  (d) 19.5,  (e) 21 and  (f) 22 per cent. in each of the four years after January 2011.

David Gauke: Table 1.6 of HMRC's published tax ready reckoner tables,
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/menu.htm
	released at the time of the Budget, shows the effects of illustrative tax changes, including the effect of changing the standard rate of VAT by 1 percentage point in each of the years 2010-11 to 2012-13. Estimates of the effect of changing the rate by different amounts can be calculated by scaling the effect of a 1 percentage point change accordingly.
	This ready reckoner costing is calculated using the same methodology as the published Budget costing of the 20% rate. Details can be found in:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

EU Law

Philip Davies: To ask the Leader of the House if he will take steps to ensure that papers concerning legislation derived from EU obligations for presentation to the House are printed on a colour other than that generally used for copies of legislation laid before the House.

George Young: The format for the printing of papers relating to legislation is a matter for the House. My hon. Friend's proposal would not necessarily be straightforward to implement as proposals for legislation to give effect to EU obligations are often combined with other proposals in the same legislative instrument. Where a Bill gives effect to EU legislation, transposition notes included in the explanatory notes will identify the relevant parts of the Bill.

Labour Party: Finance

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Leader of the House how much  (a) Short money,  (b) Opposition Whips' Office funding and  (c) Policy Development Grant funding the Labour Party will receive in 2010-11 and each of the subsequent two financial years.

George Young: For 2010-11 the Labour party is entitled to £4,462,554 based on the number of seats and votes received by the party at the general election. The Labour party is also entitled to £604,493 to fund the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, and £129,991.79 for travel. The full amount available to the Labour party is therefore £5,197,038.79. These figures are apportioned from the date of the general election to 31 March 2011.
	Separate figures are not available for funding the Opposition Whips office.
	The amounts on which the formula is determined increase on 1 April each year in line with the retail prices index as at the previous 31 December. Future amounts will therefore depend on that figure.
	There is no ministerial responsibility for expenditure on Policy Development Grants, which are administered by the Electoral Commission.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Electoral Reform: Referendums

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for the reform of regulations on campaign finance and expenditure by political parties in advance of the proposed referendum on electoral reform.

Mark Harper: The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 sets out a detailed framework for the regulation of campaign finance and expenditure by political parties and other campaigners at a referendum and more generally. The Government are considering whether any additions or changes to this framework are required in preparing to bring forward legislation providing for a referendum on electoral reform.
	The Coalition's programme for government also makes clear our intention to pursue a detailed agreement on limiting donations and reforming party funding in order to remove big money from politics.

Electoral Reform: Referendums

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on the length of time between an order setting the date for a referendum on electoral reform and the date of the poll.

Mark Harper: The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 ("the 2000 Act") provides that the date of a referendum can be specified in either primary or secondary legislation.
	Following the beginning of the referendum period-the period during which controls apply on the spending and donations of those campaigning in the referendum-the 2000 Act sets out certain procedures that must take place, the effect of which is that the date of the poll cannot be less than 10 weeks after the referendum period has begun. Under the 2000 Act, campaigners have 28 days from the beginning of the referendum period to apply for designation as lead campaign organisations. The Electoral Commission then has 14 days to determine which campaigners, if any, should be designated. The date of the poll must be at least 28 days after the Commission has completed the designation process.
	The Government will announce further details of the proposal for a referendum on electoral reform, including details of the date of the poll and the beginning of the referendum period, in due course. The Bill will specify the date of the referendum, which will be 5 May 2011.

Electoral Reform: Referendums

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals for a minimum threshold for turnout on a referendum on electoral reform in order for its result to be valid.

Mark Harper: The Coalition's programme for government makes clear that the referendum will be decided on the basis of a simply majority. The Government do not purpose that a minimum turnout threshold should additionally apply in order for the referendum outcome to be considered valid.

Electoral Systems

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his timetable is for the introduction of measures to ensure that voters queuing at polling stations at the close of the poll in general elections are able to cast their votes.

Mark Harper: The Government are considering the Electoral Commission's report of 20 May on the problems at polling stations at close of poll at the previous general election, and the Government will take any appropriate steps necessary to prevent a repeat. Any changes to the rules would have to be workable and benefit the public. We will decide in due course whether any such measures should be included in legislation later this Session.

General Election 2010: Armed Forces

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what percentage of armed forces personnel voted in the 2010 general election;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken to expedite postal votes from service personnel in Afghanistan during the 2010 general election.

Mark Harper: No record is kept of the percentage of armed forces personnel who vote at elections. They may register and vote as an ordinary elector, as a service elector or, where appropriate, as an overseas elector and therefore it is not possible to readily identify all of them.
	From Afghanistan, over four fifths of postal ballot papers from armed forces personnel there who chose to vote by post as part of the specific steps taken to support them at the 2010 general election were successfully received by Returning Officers. This compares favourably with the average return rate of postal votes in general.
	The Government are considering the arrangements for the registration and participation of armed forces personnel in elections.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Lost Property

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from the Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) central records show that during the last 12 months the following items were either lost or stolen.
	
		
			  Item  Number of items  Total estimated replacement cost (£) 
			 Laptop Computer 6 3100 
			 Ergonomic Chair 3 1,461 
			 Satellite Phone 2 1,000

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.

Alan Duncan: No civil servants or special advisers in the Department for International Development (DFID) are entitled to the use of a car with a dedicated driver. Nor are any entitled to use a car from the ministerial car pool.
	Civil servants and special advisers cannot use a taxi for official business unless no other method of public transport is available or when carrying heavy official papers or equipment.
	The Permanent Secretary has an account with the Government Car and Despatch Agency for the provision of taxi services when required.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on  (a) organisation of and  (b) attendance at conferences in each year since 1997.

Alan Duncan: Prior to 2009-10, the Department for International Development (DFID) did not hold centrally, complete financial information at sufficiently low level, to be able to report expenditure on the organisation of conferences. The costs in 2009-10 were £2.7 million.
	DFID does not hold a central record of the cost of attendance at conferences. This information cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.

Developing Countries

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government's political priorities are for the Millennium Development Goals Review Summit; and what measurable outcomes from that meeting he expects to achieve.

Stephen O'Brien: At the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in September, our priority will be to reach international agreement on an action agenda to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
	The United Kingdom sees the Summit as an opportunity for both developed and developing countries to make results based commitments, including on the most off track MDGs such as maternal and child health. We are clear that any such commitments must be based on quantifiable outcomes in terms of changes on the ground.

Developing Countries

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the renewal of earlier political and financial commitments at the Millennium Development Goals Review Summit.

Stephen O'Brien: The Secretary of State for International Development attended the Foreign Affairs Council on June 14 in Luxemburg where EU Development Ministers agreed the EU position for the UN Millennium Development Goals summit. My right hon. Friend used this opportunity to urge EU colleagues to honour their financial commitments and to focus efforts on achieving the MDGs by 2015.
	At the EU European Council on 17 June, following UK lobbying at the highest level, heads of state reaffirmed EU commitments spending 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) by 2015 and to discuss progress on an annual basis.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of increasing the number of young men and women in developing countries who have a thorough and accurate understanding of HIV.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) will support actions to achieve all of the MDGs, including prioritising aid spending on programmes to restrict the spread of major diseases like HIV/AIDS.
	DFID works with national governments, multilateral agencies and civil society organisations, to develop HIV awareness programmes for young people. DFID supports a range of activities which focus on the needs of young people, including: sexuality education; access to contraceptives; education and skills training.
	In the coming months DFID will be reviewing its aid programme to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the UK taxpayer and accelerate progress towards all the millennium development goals, including MDG 6.

Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Alan Duncan: In common with all Government Departments, as part of the civil service equality and diversity agenda, the Department for International Development (DFID) is working to create a more diverse work force at all levels, including increasing the percentage of minority groups. Costs of promoting equality and diversity for the last three financial years are set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Total costs (including staff costs) (£)  Staff costs( 1)  (£)  Number of full time equivalent staff( 2) 
			 2007-08 213,000 115,000 3 
			 2008-09 285,000 147,000 3.5 
			 2009-10 195,000 115,000 2.5 
			 (1) Staffing costs have been calculated using average staff cost data by grade. (2) A number of staff outside the core diversity team have also allocated a proportion of their time to promoting equality and diversity issues across DFID. These details are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

India: Overseas Aid

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on aid to India in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Alan Duncan: The amount of bilateral assistance provided to India by the Department of International Development (DFID) is published in 'Statistics on International Development', which is available on DFID's website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2009/
	In 2008-09 DFID provided £297 million in bilateral assistance to India. The figure for 2009-10 has not yet been finalised and will be published later this year.

Liberia: Overseas Aid

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department plans to provide  (a) financial and  (b) technical support to Liberia to support the removal of health user fees in that country.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is currently providing £12 million over three years (2010-12) to the Government of Liberia to support President Johnson Sirleaf s commitment to remove health user fees and enable the provision of a basic package of health services (BPHS). This is being channelled through the Health Pool Fund established by the Government of Liberia's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
	The Secretary of State for International Development has recently initiated a review of DFID's aid programmes to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer and accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Future support to Liberia to support health financing will be determined as part of this review.

Madagascar: Forests

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has made to the Government of Madagascar on measures to prevent illegal logging in that country's rainforest.

Stephen O'Brien: The Secretary of State for International Development has made no direct representations to the Government of Madagascar on this issue. The Department for International Development (DFID) contributes £28 million to the EU action plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT). This works with countries to improve the way forests are governed in order to prevent the illegal logging of timber.

Niger: Malnutrition

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government are taking to reduce the risk of malnutrition among children in Niger; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Two years of bad harvests and uneven rains have resulted in severe food shortages across the Eastern Sahel region of West Africa, especially in Niger and Western Chad. In response, the UK Government are supporting the treatment of over 20,000 severely malnourished children in Niger, through funding channelled to UNICEF, Médecins sans Frontières, Save the Children and Action Against Hunger. We are also supporting activities to prevent child malnutrition by targeting the food security of the most vulnerable households, including the provision of food aid to 118,000 people for three months; cash for work or direct payments to 20,000 households; assistance to 15,000 vulnerable households to maintain a minimum number of livestock; and provision of seeds to 81,000 households.

Overseas Aid

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent in each overseas country in 2009.

Alan Duncan: Details of spending in each overseas country in the financial year 2009-10 will be published later this month in the Department for International Development's (DFID's) annual report, in line with the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006. This publication will be placed in the Library of the House.

Somalia: International Assistance

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on development aid in Somalia through  (a) UN agencies and  (b) (i) multi-lateral and (ii) bi-lateral funding channels in the last 12 months.

Stephen O'Brien: The amount of bilateral assistance provided to Somalia by the Department of International Development (DFID) is published in Statistics on International Development, which is available on DFID's website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2009/
	In 2008-09 DFID provided a total of £33.5 million in bilateral aid to Somalia. This included £20.4 million delivered through UN agencies.
	In addition DFID provided an estimated £11 million of aid to Somalia via its core support to multilateral agencies.

Somalia: Overseas Aid

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has given in development aid to Somalia in each of the last three years.

Stephen O'Brien: The amount of bilateral assistance provided to Somalia by the Department of International Development (DFID) is published in Statistics on International Development, which is available on DFID's website at;
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2009/
	DFID provided £33.5 million in bilateral assistance to Somalia in 2008-09, £25.7 million in 2007-2008 and £16.6 million in 2006-07.
	The figure for 2009-10 will be published later in July in line with the International Development (Reporting and Transparency) Act 2006.

Somalia: Politics and Government

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Somalia.

Stephen O'Brien: The United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) estimates that 3.2 million Somalis or 43% of the country's population are currently dependent on humanitarian assistance. 655,000 of these are in a state of humanitarian emergency.
	There are 1.4 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Somalia, mainly due to continuing conflict. Many of the IDPs are in the Afgooye Corridor, one of the largest IDP concentrations in the world with approximately 366,000 IDPs.

Somalia: Politics and Government

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of the outcome of the recent elections in Somaliland on development matters in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK welcomes the presidential elections in Somaliland. President-elect Silanyo has indicated that he will put development matters at the centre of his new Government's agenda. Once he is sworn in, the Department for International Development (DFID) will discuss development priorities and plans with the new Government, as well as with the private sector, civil society and other development agencies, in order to identify clearly and understand Somaliland's priority development needs.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what priorities he has set for his Department's future funding to Yemen.

Alan Duncan: We cannot ignore Yemen, a fragile state with a rapidly deteriorating economy and instability on the rise. The Department for International Development (DFID) has committed £50 million in 2010-11 to help prevent State failure.
	The Secretary of State for International Development has commissioned a review of DFID's aid programmes to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer and accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Future support to Yemen will be determined as part of this review.

JUSTICE

Administration of Justice: EC action

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his policy is on the exercise of the UK opt-out in the policy areas of justice and home affairs which fall within his Department's responsibility under the Lisbon Treaty;
	(2)  when a decision will be taken on whether the UK will exercise its right to opt-out of each area on justice and home affairs under the Treaty of Lisbon where such a right exists.

Kenneth Clarke: Forthcoming legislation in the area of criminal justice will be approached on a case-by-case basis, with a view to maximising our country's security, protecting Britain's civil liberties and preserving the integrity of our criminal justice system.
	The Government will decide whether to exercise its right to opt-out of each area on justice and home affairs under the treaty of Lisbon where such right exists before the 2014 deadline.

Asylum

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations in the North West procurement area have been successful in their bids for the contract period starting 10 October 2010 to the Legal Services Commission; and for each such organisation, how many and what proportion are  (a) asylum and  (b) non-asylum immigration cases.

Jonathan Djanogly: The tender process for Immigration Services is not yet complete and we therefore cannot provide details of the organisations that have been successful. The tender will conclude once all appeals have been resolved which we anticipate will be in mid September 2010.

Community Service Orders

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions since his appointment he has visited persons undertaking projects under community service orders without prior notification to the Probation Service.

Kenneth Clarke: Since taking office in May, I have not visited anyone undertaking any unpaid work as part of their community sentence. If I were to make such a visit, I would notify the Probation Service as a matter of course.

Crime: Prison Officers

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will conduct an investigation into corruption among prison officers.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has made a robust commitment towards detecting, removing and preventing all forms of corruption in partnership with the police.
	A dedicated NOMS Corruption Prevention Unit works with Regional Corruption Prevention Managers and the front line and partner agencies to raise staff awareness, develop an understanding of the extent and nature of staff corruption in prisons and related HQ functions and where practicable, to prosecute identified instances of corrupt behaviour. Each prison has an identified Local Corruption Prevention Manager with responsibility for raising awareness of the risks from corruption, helping staff in reporting and taking forward action including working with the police in support of prosecution.
	A joint memorandum of understanding was agreed between ACPO and NOMS in October 2008 and gives the primacy for investigating and prosecuting individual cases of staff corruption to the police. NOMS also uses internal disciplinary proceedings to take action, up to and including dismissal, of any member of staff who is found to be involved in corrupt activities where there is insufficient evidence to support police prosecution.

Departmental Conferences

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of expenditure by his Department on  (a) organisation of and  (b) attendance at conferences in each year since its creation.

Kenneth Clarke: Expenditure since the inception of the Ministry of Justice for headquarters and its four Executive agencies-the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Her Majesty's Court Service (HMCS), the Tribunals Service and the Office of the Public Guardian-is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial period  £000 
			 2009-10(1) 5,943 
			 2008-09 5,875 
			 2007-08 4,257 
			 (1) Figures for 2009-10 are unaudited and are subject to change. 
		
	
	The 2007-08 and 2008-09 figures are from the Ministry's accounting systems which captures expenditure under "conferences and events" and "conferences and exhibitions" classifications. The 2009-10 figures are sourced from the Ministry's new procurement system which records "conferences" separately. The 2009-10 figures are therefore not directly comparable between years.
	The amounts above exclude expenditure incurred locally by the 35 local probation trusts within NOMS as this information is held locally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
	It is not possible to distinguish the costs of organising conferences from the costs of attending conferences without incurring the disproportionate costs of examining all of the individual records that make up the amounts above and other expenditure categories where costs may have been charged, for example catering. Where the Ministry of Justice has organised conferences, the costs of staff time are not separately recorded.
	With respect to the attendance at conferences, it is possible that additional related costs may have been incurred for travel and subsistence where this was not covered by the overall amount charged for conference attendance. These additional amounts could be determined only at disproportionate cost by manual examination of thousands of records held locally.

Departmental Lost Property

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from the Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Kenneth Clarke: With the exception of HM Prison Service, details of individual cases of lost and stolen property are held at a local level across the Department. Incidents relating to theft or loss of IT equipment are reportable to the central security team and there were 232 such security incidents for the financial year of 2009-10 and are detailed as follows:
	
		
			  Types of affected IT equipment lost/stolen  Number of incidents 
			 PC 13 
			 Laptop 78 
			 Blackberry 23 
			 Encryption tokens 104 
			 Removable electronic media (e.g. CDs or USBs) 14 
		
	
	To determine which of these losses relate to theft and to estimate a replacement cost would involve a review of individual local records which would incur disproportionate cost.
	Separate records are kept by Her Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS), which is part of the National Offender Management Service agency. For this period the value of lost or stolen property was £256,779. This comprises:
	lost or stolen items: 988 losses at a total value of £122,880 of which 987 losses were from prison stores at a value of £122,820;
	loss of personal property for which compensation was paid to prisoners, staff or third parties; 2,126 payments at a total of £133,899.
	These figures are currently unaudited.

Human Rights

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted of an offence within two years of receiving a community order in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: Reoffending data are based on offences committed within one year of an offender commencing a court order under probation supervision. Reoffending data covering time periods longer than one year are not collated.
	Table 1 shows the number of adult offenders who commenced a court order under probation supervision between 1 January to 31 March 2008, and the reoffending rate. This table also contains a breakdown of the number of offenders who commenced a community order, and a suspended sentence order.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of offenders who commenced a court order under probation supervision between 1 January to 31 March 2008, and the reoffending rate 
			   Number of offenders  Proportion of offenders who reoffended 
			 Court Orders under probation supervision 37,619 36.1 
			 Community Orders 27,504 36.8 
			 Suspended Sentence Orders 9,875 34.3 
		
	
	Further information on adult reoffending is available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm

Human Rights

Jack Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether the Commission on a British Bill of Rights will consider the merits of repealing the Human Rights Act 1998;
	(2)  whether he plans to bring forward proposals for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Kenneth Clarke: The Government will make a statement to Parliament on the terms of reference of the Commission on a Bill of Rights in due course. The Government have however made clear that any Bill of Rights must incorporate and build on all our obligations under the European convention on human rights and ensure that these rights continue to be enshrined in UK law.

Legal Aid Scheme: Marriage

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people received legal aid in respect of divorce proceedings in the last 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  how much the Legal Services Commission spent on legal aid in respect of divorce proceedings in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: Legal aid in divorce matters can be provided under two categories: legal help, for advice and assistance in both contested and uncontested petitions, and, separately, civil representation carried out under a legal aid certificate for contested divorce petitions that may require representation at court. The following table shows the number of publicly-funded divorce matters that were completed under legal help and civil representation, together with the value of the claims for the year ending 31 May 2010. It is possible for matters funded under legal help to progress to certificated work.
	The claim value for legal help also includes ancillary divorce matters, such as, for example, financial provision and matters involving children where such help is provided. It is not possible to disaggregate from these cases the amounts claimed for divorce only. However, the figures for civil representation do not include ancillary matters, and therefore do relate only to divorce.
	
		
			   Closed case volume  Closed case value (£  million ) 
			 Legal help 89,406 24.9 
			 Civil representation 115 0.5

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to reply to the letter dated 20 May 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Scott Kelly.

Kenneth Clarke: I replied to the right hon. Member on 5 July 2010. I am sorry for the delay in responding to him.

Parricide and Matricide

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions for offences related to  (a) parricide and  (b) matricide there were in the UK in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not hold centrally details of whether the offender was related to the victim other than where the offence is specified separately in law. It is therefore not possible to identify from convictions for murder or manslaughter those specifically of parricide or matricide.
	Available information given in the table is from the Home Office's Homicide Index and relates to the number of homicides where a victim was the parent of the principal suspect and the principal suspect was convicted of murder, section 2 manslaughter (diminished responsibility) or other manslaughter. The data reflect the position as at 24 November 2009, when recording closed down for the purpose of analysis, and will change as subsequent court hearings take place or other information is received. Data can be provided only for cases initially recorded as homicide by police during 2007-08 and 2008-09; prior to this the 'parent' relationship category also included the relationship 'step-parent'.
	Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland is within the remit of the Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Office respectively.
	
		
			  Currently recorded homicides( 1)  where the victim's relationship to principal suspect was parent( 2)  and the principal suspect was convicted of homicide( 3) : England and Wales, 2007-08 and 2008-09( 4) 
			Year( 4) 
			  Victim gender  Homicide conviction  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Male Murder 2 1 
			  Sec 2 manslaughter 1 2 
			  Other manslaughter 2 0 
			  Male victim total 5 3 
			 
			 Female Murder 3 1 
			  Sec 2 manslaughter 2 3 
			  Other manslaughter 0 1 
			  Female victim total 5 5 
			 (1) As at 24 November 2009; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by police or by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Prior to 2007-08 the 'parent' relationship category also included 'step-parent'. (3) Includes convictions for murder, section 2 manslaughter (diminished responsibility) and other manslaughter. (4) Offences are shown according to the year in which they were initially recorded by police as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the offence took place or the year in which any court proceedings took place.  Source: Home Office's Homicide Index database. Based upon headline figures in table 1.05 of' "Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2008-09" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 01/10)

Photographs

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on official photographs of Ministers since the formation of the present administration.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has not spent any money on official portraits of Ministers since the formation of the present administration. All official portraits are taken by members of the MoJ's in-house graphic design team at no extra cost to the taxpayer.

Prison Sentences

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection are in jail after the end of the tariff period.

Crispin Blunt: The number of people detained post tariff and serving indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) or detention for public protection (DPP) on 5 July 2010 was 2,860, of which 100 were detained in secure hospitals. This includes those released on licence and subsequently recalled to custody. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
	The figures were taken from the Public Protection Unit Database (PPUD) in the National Offender Management Service, and, as with any large scale recording system, it is subject to possible errors arising from either data entry or processing. The PPUD is a live database, updated on a regular basis. As a result, snapshots taken in consecutive days will contain differences reflecting the most updates.

Prisoners' Release

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the future of the automatic early release from prison scheme.

Crispin Blunt: The End of Custody Licence (ECL) scheme was withdrawn with effect from 12 March and this Government have no plans to re-introduce it.

Prisoners: Health Services

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Prison Service spent on prisoner healthcare in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The Department of Health is responsible for healthcare in public-sector prisons and holds the budget. The Prison Service does not hold figures for prisoner healthcare expenditure.

Prisoners: Social Security Benefits

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the proportion of prisoners admitted in the last 12 months who derived their only legitimate income from benefit payments.

Crispin Blunt: Our most recent information on the proportion of prisoners in receipt of benefit payments in the 12 months prior to reception into custody is derived from the Survey of Prisoner Crime Reduction, which is yet to be finalised and published. Our provisional estimate is between 61% and 66% of prisoners.

Rape: Disclosure of Information

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Warrington North of 17 June 2010,  Official Report, column 189W, on rape: defendants anonymity, what progress has been made by his Department's Director of Analytical Services in compiling the available research and statistics on the number of false allegations in rape cases; and how soon before the summer recess his Department expects to publish the report of that research.

Crispin Blunt: The director of analytical services in the Ministry of Justice is currently compiling a report which will collate available research and statistics relating both to false allegations of rape and to other relevant issues. The Ministry of Justice plans to publish the report, following external peer-review, during the week commencing 26 July.

Reoffenders

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what evidence he  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated in formulating his policy on the effectiveness of community sentences for certain groups of offenders.

Crispin Blunt: Published statistics show that offenders subject to court orders under probation supervision have a lower reoffending rate than those sentenced to custody. Some of this effect may be because offenders discharged from prison have characteristics associated with a higher rate of reoffending, such as more previous convictions. But some may be due to the fact that offenders on community sentences are taking part in programmes which promote rehabilitation and because they have not been taken away from their homes, jobs and communities.

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Official Cars

William Bain: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Ministers in his Department have used an allocated ministerial car to travel between the Department and the House of Commons on each day since 21 May 2010.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 June 2010,  Official Report, column 446W. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Where possible, Ministers walk or cycle.

Departmental Official Cars

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 30 June 2010,  Official Report, column 563W, on departmental official cars, in what circumstances a  (a) civil servant and  (b) special adviser may use a (i) taxi and (ii) car from the Government car pool; and on how many occasions (A) civil servants and (B) special advisers in his Department have made use of those services since 12 May 2010.

Francis Maude: The use of official cars and taxis by civil servants, including special advisers, is governed by the requirements of the Civil Service Management Code.
	Information on the number of occasions civil servants have made use of taxis or cars from the Government car pool could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of  (a) UK nationals,  (b) UK-born people,  (c) foreign nationals,  (d) non-UK EU nationals and  (e) non-EU nationals (i) aged over 16 years and (ii) of working age were in employment in the UK in each of the last four quarters for which figures are available; and what the percentage change in each category was in each of the last 16 quarters.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of (a) UK nationals, (b) UK-born people, (c) foreign nationals, (d) non-UK EU nationals and (e) non-EU nationals (i) aged over 16 years and (ii) of working age were in employment in the UK in each of the last four quarters for which figures are available; and what the percentage change in each category was in each of the last 16 quarters. (5172)
	The information requested is shown in the attached table. The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. This is described in a footnote to the table.
	The figures in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2009. These estimates are consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistical Bulletin.
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for people aged over 16 years in employment( 1,2)  by nationality and country of birth-Three months ending March, June, September and December, 2006 to 2010,United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousands and per cent age 
			   Aged over 16 years 
			   UK nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level  UK born  Rate  Annual % change in level  Foreign Nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level 
			 2006 Q2 26,881 61 - 25,556 61 - 2,009 57 - 
			 2006 Q3 27,023 61 - 25,729 61 - 2,074 57 - 
			 2006 Q4 26,915 61 - 25,606 61 - 2,066 56 - 
			   
			 2007 Q1 26,946 61 - 25,620 60 - 2,019 62 - 
			 2007 Q2 27,208 61 1 25,614 60 0 2,141 63 7 
			 2007 Q3 27,259 61 1 25,815 60 0 2,150 64 4 
			 2007 Q4 27,259 61 1 25,867 60 1 2,206 63 7 
			   
			 2008 Q1 27,120 61 1 25,737 60 0 2,286 64 13 
			 2008 Q2 27,140 61 0 25,734 60 0 2,299 64 7 
			 2008 Q3 27,174 61 0 25,771 60 0 2,318 64 8 
			 2008 Q4 27,026 60 -1 25,585 60 -1 2,377 64 8 
			   
			 2009 Q1 26,741 60 -1 25,283 59 -2 2,347 64 3 
			 2009 Q2 26,526 59 -2 25,095 58 -2 2,303 62 0 
			 2009 Q3 26,732 59 -2 25,308 59 -2 2,262 64 -2 
			 2009 Q4 26,691 59 -1 25,259 59 -1 2,288 63 -4 
			   
			 2010 Q1(4) 26,487 59 *-1 25,039 59 *-1 2,254 61 *-4 
		
	
	
		
			  Thousands and per cent age 
			   Aged over 16 years 
			   Non-UK EU nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level  Non-EU nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level 
			 2006 Q2 732 64 - 1,144 61 - 
			 2006 Q3 775 65 - 1,183 62 - 
			 2006 Q4 855 66 - 1,154 60 - 
			
			 2007 Q1 922 68 - 1,098 57 - 
			 2007 Q2 989 69 35 1,153 59 1 
			 2007 Q3 990 70 28 1,159 59 -2 
			 2007 Q4 1,028 70 20 1,178 58 2 
			
			 2008 Q1 1,085 70 18 1,201 59 9 
			 2008 Q2 1,082 70 9 1,218 70 6 
			 2008 Q3 1,067 70 8 1,250 60 8 
			 2008 Q4 1,074 69 4 1,303 61 11 
			
			 2009 Q1 1,118 70 3 1,229 60 2 
			 2009 Q2 1,104 69 2 1,199 57 -2 
			 2009 Q3 1,083 70 1 1,179 59 -6 
			 2009 Q4 1,069 68 0 1,219 58 -6 
			
			 2010 Q1(4) 1,075 68 *-4 1,179 57 *-4 
		
	
	
		
			  Employment levels and rates for people of working age( 3)  in employment( 1,2)  by nationality and country of birth-Three months ending March, June, September and December, 2006 to 2010, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousands and per cent age 
			   Working age( 3) 
			   UK nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level  UK born  Rate  Annual % change in level  Foreign Nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level 
			 2006 Q2 25,938 75 0 24,670 75 - 1,946 67 - 
			 2006 Q3 26,084 75 0 24,848 76 - 2,008 67 - 
			 2006 Q4 25,989 75 0 24,742 76 - 1,946 65 - 
			   
			 2007 Q1 25,791 75 - 24,527 75 - 1,977 62 - 
			 2007 Q2 25,782 75 -1 24,507 75 -1 2,101 68 8 
			 2007 Q3 26,014 75 0 24,686 76 -1 2,111 69 5 
			 2007 Q4 26,036 76 0 24,706 76 0 2,171 68 12 
			   
			 2008 Q1 25,849 75 0 24,528 75 0 2,250 69 14 
			 2008 Q2 25,882 75 0 24,507 75 0 2,261 69 8 
			 2008 Q3 25,898 75 0 24,552 76 -1 2,274 69 8 
			 2008 Q4 25,725 75 -1 24,528 76 -1 2,302 68 6 
			   
			 2009 Q1 25,431 74 -2 24,043 74 -2 2,334 70 4 
			 2009 Q2 25,201 73 -3 23,849 73 -3 2,256 67 0 
			 2009 Q3 25,387 73 -2 24,043 74 -2 2,200 68 -3 
			 2009 Q4 25,325 73 -2 23,974 74 -2 2,242 67 -3 
			   
			 2010 Q1(4) 25,102 72 *-1 23,731 73 *-1 2,207 66 *-5 
		
	
	
		
			  Thousands and per cent age 
			   Working age( 3) 
			   Non-UK EU nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level  Non-EU nationals  Rate  Annual % change in level 
			 2006 Q2 712 76 - 1,126 64 - 
			 2006 Q3 753 77 - 1,162 65 - 
			 2006 Q4 828 77 - 1,137 63 - 
			
			 2007 Q1 897 77 - 1,080 60 - 
			 2007 Q2 968 77 36 1,133 59 1 
			 2007 Q3 968 78 29 1,143 62 -2 
			 2007 Q4 1,009 79 22 1,162 61 2 
			
			 2008 Q1 1,066 79 19 1,184 62 10 
			 2008 Q2 1,062 79 10 1,199 62 6 
			 2008 Q3 1,043 79 8 1,231 63 8 
			 2008 Q4 1,049 78 4 1,284 64 10 
			
			 2009 Q1 1,094 78 3 1,208 62 2 
			 2009 Q2 1,075 77 1 1,180 60 -2 
			 2009 Q3 1,052 77 1 1,159 62 -6 
			 2009 Q4 1,045 76 0 1,197 61 -7 
			
			 2010 Q1(4) 1,052 75 *-4 1,155 60 *-4 
			 (1) Includes self-employed and unpaid family workers. (2) Excludes those whose nationality was not known. (3) Men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. (4) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described below:  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV-for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key : * 0 ≤ CV<5%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%-Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation  Note: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels mobile home sites etc.).  Source: Labour Force Survey.

Government Departments: Databases

David Davis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what definition of the word reshaping in section 3.4(i) of his Department's Structural Reform Plan he uses in the context of changes to the ContactPoint and identity card databases.

Francis Maude: The use of the word reshaping in the Cabinet Office Structural Reform Plan reflects the two specific programmes in question ContactPoint and ID cards. I have used the Cambridge English Dictionary definition of reshaping-to shape something again or differently.
	In the case of ID cards, the closure of the programme has been announced and the process of closure is now under way. We have already announced the early release of 70 temporary staff in Durham as part of this process.
	We have made clear our intention to end ContactPoint as soon as is practicable and are considering developing a new service aimed at supporting vulnerable children. We recognise that significant investment has already been made in developing ContactPoint and the infrastructure that supports it. Therefore, we will seek to make the most appropriate use of that investment when considering a new approach.

Government Departments: Internet

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will place a copy in the Library of his Department's report on the usability, cost and quality of Government websites.

Nick Hurd: A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Lone Parents: Newcastle upon Tyne

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many lone parents there were in Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency in 2009-10.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many lone parents there are in Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency in 2009/10. (6739)
	The number and type of families in the UK can be estimated using the Annual Population Survey (APS). Estimates are provided for lone parent families which include at least one child aged under 16.
	The latest available figure is for 2008 and is shown in the table below. This is based on the 2008 parliamentary constituency boundary. Newcastle Upon Tyne North, as constituted in 2008, consisted of 13 electoral wards, four more than the current constituency. The breakdown of the data available is not sufficiently detailed to determine" whether the newly constituted parliamentary constituency contains the same estimated number of lone parents as the 2008 constituency.
	
		
			  Geographical area  Number of lone parent families with at least one child under 16 (thousand) 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne North constituency (2008) 3 
			  Source:  APS January to December 2008.

Ministerial Policy Advisers: Redundancy Pay

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost has been of severance payments made to special advisers from each Department made redundant at the general election.

Francis Maude: The information requested is currently being collected, and will be published in due course.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employment Schemes: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to reduce the level of unemployment in  (a) the west midlands and  (b) Coventry.

Chris Grayling: The Government have set out a number of major welfare to work reforms, including a core integrated Work Programme and a number of measures designed to support people to find employment. These measures are designed to help in the Government's key aims of fighting poverty, supporting the most vulnerable and helping people break the cycle of benefit dependency, and will be introduced at a national level.
	The Work Programme, which we aim to introduce by summer 2011, will be an integrated package of personalised support providing help for people who find themselves out of work. This support will be made available on the basis of need rather than on the benefit claimed. The Work Programme will be delivered by contractors drawn from the private, public and voluntary sectors. We will offer them stronger incentives to work with the harder to help, paying delivery partners out of the additional benefits they realise as a result of placing people into work.
	Alongside the core Work Programme, a series of individual support measures will be introduced to Get Britain Working such as:
	Work for Yourself, giving access to business mentors and start-up loans;
	Work Clubs, to give unemployed people a place to share skills and experiences;
	Service Academies, which will offer specialised pre-employment training and work placements; and
	Work Together, to encourage and facilitate volunteering.
	Further support is also being planned for young people, including work experience opportunities with small businesses and sole traders, more apprenticeships and more further education places.
	Until the Work Programme is implemented, the Government will ensure appropriate support is in place.

Housing Benefit

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in West Lancashire constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-112 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the effects of the Government's plans to reduce by 10% housing benefit for those who have been on jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months on the number of tenants who fall into arrears and may be subject to eviction.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Stretford and Urmston constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit for such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Makerfield constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average weekly reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Houghton and Sunderland South constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Worsley and Eccles South constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in  (a) Glasgow North and  (b) Ealing Central and Acton constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average weekly reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in  (a) Slough,  (b) Salisbury and  (c) Scarborough and Whitby constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average weekly reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Lewisham East constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit among such people; what estimate he has made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in  (a) Ashfield,  (b) Argyll and Bute and  (c) Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average weekly reduction in benefit among such people; what estimate he has made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Cynon Valley constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate he has made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Wakefield constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current levels in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate he has made of the effects of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of social sector tenants in Birmingham, Erdington constituency whose housing benefit payments will be reduced from their current level in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15; what his estimate is of the average reduction in benefit of such people; what estimate has been made of the effect of such reductions on the local authority's housing revenue; and what assessment has been made of the effect of the reductions on new build in the social sector.

Steve Webb: We will publish an impact assessment for the housing benefit changes that will affect the calculation of local housing allowance rates on the 23 July 2010.
	We are developing the detailed policy design of the other housing benefit changes announced in the Budget. We shall publish impact assessments to accompany the relevant legislation when introduced in Parliament and are investigating the scope for publishing sooner.

Housing Benefit

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in each English local authority, in properties of each bedroom size, will be above the cap proposed on page 48 of the Budget Red Book on the date on which the cap is expected to be implemented on local housing allowance.

Steve Webb: An estimate of how many households in each English local authority, in each bedroom size, will be above the cap proposed on page 48 of the Budget Statement will be included in the impact assessment of the housing benefit changes that will affect the calculation of local housing allowance rates. The Department will publish this on 23 July 2010.

Housing Benefit

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) pensioners,  (b) persons of working age in work,  (c) persons of working age and unemployed,  (d) social sector tenants and  (e) private sector tenants in receipt of housing benefit in Wakefield constituency.

Steve Webb: The information is not available at the constituency level. An exercise is being undertaken to add other geographical areas to the housing benefit data: this will include parliamentary constituencies. It is hoped this exercise will be completed by early 2011.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) lone parents and  (b) others who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months by 2013 in Bishop Auckland and Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in West Lancashire constituency in 2013; and how many of them are lone parents.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) people and  (b) lone parents who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in Stretford and Urmston constituency in 2013.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents who will have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 23 months in Houghton and Sunderland South constituency by 2013.

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents in (i) Slough, (ii) Salisbury and (iii) Scarborough and Whitby constituency who will have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months by January 2013.

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in Makerfield constituency in 2013.

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in Worsley and Eccles South constituency in 2013.

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in (i) Glasgow North and (ii) Ealing Central and Acton constituency in 2013.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people who will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in Kingston upon Hull North constituency in 2013; and how many of them are lone parents.

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents who will have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months in Lewisham East constituency in 2013.

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the number of  (a) individuals and  (b) lone parents in (i) Ashfield, (ii) Argyll and Bute and (iii) Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency who will have been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months at January 2013.

Chris Grayling: The information is not available.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of lone parents in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency.

Chris Grayling: In April 2010 there were 65 lone parents claiming jobseeker's allowance in Newcastle Upon Tyne North.
	 Note:
	The figure has been rounded to the nearest 5.

Pensioners: Newcastle upon Tyne

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency receive  (a) the basic state pension and  (b) pension credit.

Steve Webb: The information available is in the following table.
	
		
			  Parliamentary constituency: Newcastle Upon Tyne North 
			   Number 
			 State pension recipients 18,600 
			 Pension credit individual beneficiaries 6,490 
			 Pension credit household recipients 5,240 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. State Pension figures are for the total state pension caseload. Around 1% of State Pension recipients are not in receipt of the basic State Pension, but are receiving additional State Pension only or graduated retirement benefit only. 3. Basic State Pension only figures are not available by current 2010 parliamentary constituencies. 4. Pension credit household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Individual beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. 5. Parliamentary constituencies are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data as at November 2009

Pregnant Women: Grants

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many health in pregnancy grants were made in Kingston upon Hull North constituency in 2009-10.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	This information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) employment and support allowance in Newcastle Upon Tyne North constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Disability  living allowance, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and employment support allowance  claimants in Newcastle upon Tyne North  parliamentary constituency : November 2009 
			   Number 
			 DLA 5,310 
			 IB/SDA 3,670 
			 ESA 750 
			  Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA shows the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a National Insurance Credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) employment and support allowance in Wakefield constituency.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Disability living allowance, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, and employment support allowance claimants in Wakefield  p arliamentary constituency: November 2009 
			   Claimants 
			 DLA 5,740 
			 IB/SDA 3,920 
			 ESA 790 
			  Notes: 1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied. 3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. 5. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a national insurance credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100% WPLS

Vocational Training

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to promote re-skilling initiatives in  (a) Coventry and  (b) the UK; and how much funding his Department has allocated to such initiatives in 2010-11.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to join up employment and skills systems in England to better help jobseekers identify and address their skills needs, find employment and progress in work.
	The Department is reviewing all of these initiatives as we develop the Work Programme. The Work Programme will be introduced early next year and offer better targeted support to all unemployed people, regardless of the benefit they claim.
	Jobcentre Plus in Coventry currently promotes a variety of re-skilling initiatives. The major part of this is via the rapid response service to employers making redundancies. In the west midlands this support can be provided while individuals are under notice of redundancy via Unity-Better off West Midlands, who are funded by the Skills Funding Agency, to provide specialist careers advice followed by short work-focused skills training to help equip individuals return to work.
	Where appropriate mainstream provision is not available, Jobcentre Plus advisers make a specific business case to support the cost of appropriate training via Rapid Response Funds where Jobcentre Plus arranges for the training to be procured. In the current financial year skill support for 60 individuals has been provided costing £3,084 in Coventry and Warwickshire, with a further £9,991 committed to the end of June. Forecast expenditure for the whole year 2010-11 is £97,395.
	Responsibility for skills training in Scotland and Wales is devolved to those Administrations.

Winter Fuel Payments

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the merits of reducing the age of eligibility for the winter fuel allowance.

Steve Webb: The winter fuel payment is paid to most people who have reached women's state pension age. Older people are targeted because they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather during the winter months.
	In line with the increase in women's state pension age, the qualifying age for winter fuel payments for both men and women will rise gradually to age 65 between 2010 and 2020.

Work Capability Assessment: Mental Illness

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the level of accuracy of ATOS in assessing the eligibility of people with mental health conditions for employment and support allowance.

Chris Grayling: The decision about entitlement to employment and support allowance is determined by DWP decision makers, not healthcare professionals working for Atos Healthcare.
	Medical reports for employment and support allowance provided by healthcare professionals, including those relating to mental health conditions are subject to random quality audit by a system agreed with the DWP and which is conducted by experienced medical auditors within Atos Healthcare. The quality of Atos Healthcare audit is validated by senior medical auditors from Atos Healthcare and doctors working for the chief medical adviser to the DWP.